^ 


SYKES&  STREET. 

SOLE  U.  S.  AGENTS  FOR 

St,  Denis  DjeM  and  Chemical  Co., 


LIMITED. 


7T.  POIRRie-R.  Rresident. 
No.  105  RUE   LAFAYETTE,  PARIS,  FRANCE, 


TWtKNUPKCTURBRS    OP 


ANILINE  COLORS, 

ARCHIL  EXTRACT, 


CUDBEAR,  6lc: 


INCLUDINQ   MANY 

Specialties  for  Featheri'  Silk  Dyers 

Fracli  Eitracis  of  Dyewood  and  Indip,  &f.,  k. 

85  Water  St., 
NEW  YORK,  U.S.  A. 


BRANCHES:  AGENCIES: 

BOSTON     36  India  Strtat.  R    R    STREET  &  CO  .  Chicago.  IIU- 

PHILADELPHIA'S  N.  Front  II.         S.  H   FRANK  It  CO.,  San  Franciaco.Cal 


cEhr  D.  H.  HtH  iCibrani 


North  (TarDlina  ^tatr  UntuprBtlij 


KX  LfB. 


K^^<^^  B<^o^  (^hS  //  u 


THIS  BOOK  IS  DUE  ON  THE  DATE 
INDICATED  BELOW  AND  IS  SUB- 
JECT TO  AN  OVERDUE  FINE  AS 
POSTED  AT  THE  CIRCULATION 
DESK. 


THE 


practical 
Ostrich  Feather  Dyer, 


ALEXANDER  PAUL. 


REVISED   AXE)    CORRECTED 


DR.  M.  FRANK.  ' 


PUBLISHED    BY 

MRS.  DR.   M.   FRANK, 

"  Textile  Color isi,"' 

506  Arch  St.,  Philadelphla,  Pa.,  U.  S.  A. 

1888. 


Copi/rifffd,  J8SS,  },;,  ^frs.  I>r.  M.  Frank, 
All  liujhts  Jteserved. 


PREFACE. 

In  the  preparation  of  this  work  it  has  been  my  aim  to 
present  Recipes,  simple,  3'et  complete  in  every  detail,  for 
dyeing  every  color  and  shade  of  color  known.  Relia- 
bility, practicability  and  rapidity  I  claim  for  this  work, 
and  would  ask  that  it  be  judged  not  from  a  literary 
standpoint,  but  as  a  thorough  and  practical  instructor 
in  the  art  of  Ostrich  Feather  Dyeing,  as  simplified  and 
perfected  by  me  during  years  of  hard  work  and  re- 
search. It  is  the  first  work  of  its  kind  ever  put  before 
the  public  in  the  English  language,  and  will,  in  conse- 
quence, receive  from  those  interested  close  scrutiny  and 
criticism,  which  prompts  the  author  to  offer  $1000  to 
any  person  who  will  prove  that  the  recipes  herein  con- 
tained, or  any  single  one  of  them,  will  not  produce  the 
desired  color  or  shade  perfect  and  in  the  time  men- 
tioned. The  old  methodical  orthodox  dyers  will  find  a 
decided  advantage  in  being  enabled  to  make  colors  in 
minutes,  that  heretofore  required  hours  and  days  to 


li  OSTRICH   FKATIIKR   DYEIN'O. 

* 

complete.  Technicalities  and  high-sounding  phrases 
for  the  naint's  of  colors  and  terms  of  the  dye-house 
have  no  place  in  this  work.  It  is  not  necessary  for  a 
man  to  be  a  chemist  to  l>e  a  practical  feather  dyer, 
other  authorities  to  the  contrary  notwithstanding. 
Good  practical  common  sense  and  judgment  and  a 
knowledge  of  the  nature  of  the  goods  j'on  are  handling, 
an<l  throw  theory  to  the  winds.  Alex  Paul. 


TO   THE 

OSTRICH   FEATHEU 

MANUFACTURERS,    DYERS    AND     SCOURERS, 

AND 

IMTERESTED   PUBLIC   OP    AMERICA    AND    EUROPE, 

THIS   WORK    IS    RESPECTFULLY   DEDICATED, 

BY    THE    AUTHOR. 


OSTRICH   FEATHER   DYEING. 

TESTIMOIi^IALS. 

The  following  are  a  few  of  the  numerous  testimonials  re- 
ceived by  Dr.  M.  Frank,  Manager  of  ••  Textile  Colorist,"  in 
evidence  of  our  method  : 

Chicago,  Feb.  23,  1885. 

All  I  have  to  say  regarding  Mr.  Alex.  Paul's  method  for 
dyeing  ostrich  feathers  are  just  as  he  represents,  and  after 
having  taken  a  course  I  am  perfectly  satisfied. 

I.    F.    SCHWARZ. 

KicnMOND,  Ya.,  Jan.  20,  1885. 
Sir, — After  receiving  a  course  of  instruction  of  Mr.  Alex. 
Paul,  I  think  he  is  a  thorough  master  of  his  art,  and  fully 
comes  up  his  promises,  and  any  one  who  wishes  to  learn  the 
art  could  not  do  better  than  to  engage  his  services. 

Jas.  F.  Thurstox. 

Louisville,  Ky.  ,  March  12,  1885. 

This  is  to  certify  that  I  have  this  day  received  instructions 
from  Mr.  Paul,  in  the  art  of  feather  dyeing,  and  I  can  truly 
say  that  I  am  much  pleased  with  his  process,  so  simple,  so 
quickly  done,  and  produces  such  beautiful  colors  and  shades. 
I  paid  $150  to  other  parties  for  instruction  in  feather  dyeing, 
and  I  can  say  that  I  knew  but  little  about  feather  dyeing  be- 
fore to-day.  P.  Barrister. 

Milwaukee,  Feb.  27,  1885. 

We  take  pleasure  in  recommending  the  method  of  feather 
dyeing  taught  to  us  by  Mr.  Alex.  Paul,  for  the  sum  of  fifty 


11  (tsTUKii  keatiii:k  dyeixo. 

dullars.     Wt*  think  it  would  oe  beneficial  for  any  dyt-r  to 
learn  this  art.  Otto  Pietsch  Co, 

Ilo(  HESTER,  Feb.  4,  ISST). 
This  is  to  certify  that  Mr.  Paul  lias  tliis  day  given  uie  in- 
structions in  ostrich  feather  dyeii.g,  for  which  I  paid  fifty 
dollars.  I  am  jierfectly  satislieil  that  he  Iwis  accoinnlishiHl  all 
that  he  undertook  to  do  to  my  s;itisfaetion,  and  think  that  it 
will  prove  to  be  money  well  invested.  Wm.  Mains. 

Canton,  O.,  Feb.  11,  18S5. 
I  have  taken  this  day  a  coni-se  of  instruction  in   ostrich 
feather  dyeing  from  Mr.  A.  Paul,  for  which  I  luiid  him  fifty 
dolhirs.     The  s;ime  I  consider  the  most  simple  and   best 
naethod  known  ;  and  is  well  worth  ten  times  the  amount. 

C.  Peter  &  Son. 

Utica,  Jan.  31,  l!^"). 
I  have  received  a  course  of  instructions  from  Alex.  Paul, 
for  which  I  jwi'd  him  fifty  dollai-s,  and  would  state  that  I 
consider  Mr.  Paul  a  thorough  master  of  the  art  of  feather 
dyeing,  and  feel  that  live  times  thi'  amount  paid  him  would 
liot  l>e  etiuivalent  to  the  information  receive<l. 

John-  W.  McLean. 

MiLWAiKKi:,   Feb.  '2S,  ISS,"). 
Mr.  Alex.  Paul  has  given  me  instruction  for  dyeing  and 
cleaning  o.strich  feathei^s.    I  feel  sjitisfieti  to  certify  that  his 
iiietlnMl  cannot  l)e  excelle<l,  and  that  the  instruction  is  w«)rth 
ten  t  inns  the  amount  charged.  I.   I.eiseh. 


OSTllICH    FliATHER    DYEING,  111 

Baltimore,  Jan,  14,  1885, 
Sir, — I  have  received  through  Mr,  Alex,  Paul  of  your 
method  of  feather  dyeing,  and  acknowledge  tliat  your  method 
is  far  superior  to  my  most  vivid  imagination  of  what  can  be 
executed  in  tlie  art  of  featlier  dyeing.  I  would  not  sell  the 
information  I  have  obtained,  nor  would  be  without  it  for  a 
great  deal  more  than  I  paid  for  it,  E.  Bauer. 

Albany,  Jan.  28,  1885. 
I  am  glad  to  have  had  the  opportunity  to  learn  the  art  of 
feather  dyeing  as  taught  by  Mr.  Alex,  Paul,  and  will  never 
regret  It.  It  is  the  easiest,  most  economical  and  the  best 
method  known.  I  paid  Mr,  Paul  fifty  dollars  for  his  instruc- 
tion, but  I  would  not  be  without  it  for  five  hundred.  It  is, 
without  exception,  the  finest  method  extant. 

John  P.  Mayer. 


A,  Work-bench.     B,  Hydro-extractor.     C,  C,  Buckets.     D,  Boiler.     E,  Stationary 
Wash-tub.     F,  F,  Hot-water  Pipes. 


Curling  Knife 


OSTRICH 

FEATHER    DYEING. 


GROWTH  OF  THE  OSTRICH  FEATHER  TRADE 

DURING  THE  PAST  TWELVE  YEARS 

IN  THIS  COUNTRY. 


The  manufacturers  of  America  could  have  been 
counted  on  the  fingers  of  one's  hand  a  dozen  years  ago. 
At  the  present  time  New  York  alone  can  boast  of  be- 
tween forty  and  fifty.  Enterprising  men  in  other  cities 
and  throughout  the  country-  are  yearly  becoming  inter- 
ested and  endeavoring  to  take  hold  of  this  young  and 
profitable  business,  and  we  can  look  to  ostrich  feather 
manufacturing  at  the  present  time  as  one  of  our  staple 
industries.  The  greatest  disadvantage  manufacturers 
have  had  to  contend  with  was  a  lack  of  knowledge  of 
coloring.     Our  greatest  chemists  and  aniline  manufac- 


2  OSTUItH    KKATIIER   DYEING. 

turers  have  worked  diligently-,  contributing  largely  to 
the  progress  of  wool,  cotton  and  silk  dyeing,  but  the 
amount  of  dyestufTs  used  by  the  largest  feather  manu- 
facturers was  of  such  minor  importance  that  it  did  not 
seem  profitable  for  them  to  investigate  ;  consequently 
the  art  of  ostrich  feather  dyeing  progressed  ver}'  slowly. 
Feather  dyers  a  dozen  years  ago  were  scarce,  and  the 
art  (if  in  those  days  it  could  be  called  such),  was  con- 
trolled to  a  great  extent  by  the  French,  who,  judging 
by  my  experience  with  them,  impressed  me  as  being  the 
most  egotistical  mortals,  and  decidedl}'  oithodox  in 
their  methods,  absolutely  refusing  to  take  hold  of  any- 
thing new  that  mi^ht  prove  beneficial  to  them,  and  so 
jealousl}'  did  they  guard  their  (as  they  considered 
them)  secrets,  that  during  working  hours  every  one  of 
them  even  their  employers,  were  denied  admittance  to 
the  dye-house. 

Millions  of  dollars  arc  at  the  present  time  invested 
in  ostrich  feathers  in  all  conditions,  in  the  cases  of  raw 
stock  in  the  warehouses  and  in  the  flourishing  ostrich 
farms  now  in  existence;  and  a  milliner's  window  with- 
out its  rich  clusters  of  ostrich  tips  and  plumes  would 
to  day  be  a  rare  sight.  They  are  used  not  only  in  the 
trimming  of  hats  and  Ifonnets,  but  fashion  demands 
their  use  in  trimming  dresses,  wraps,  etc.,  and  to  a  large 


OSTRICH    FEATHER   DYEING.  3 

extent  they  are  being  used  in  making  handsome  and 
very  valuable  fans.  It  is  to  be  regretted  that  London 
and  Paris  marlcets  are  supplied  with  the  choicest  of  the 
goods  that  come  from  the  Cape,  and  America  gets  the 
leavings,  although  our  market  consumes  equally  as 
many,  if  not  more.  It  is  only  a  matter  of  time,  how- 
ever, when  manufacturers  will  be  importing  raw  stock- 
direct. 


THE  BIRD,  ITS  PLUMAGE  AND  HABITS. 

Years  ago,  before  the  trade  had  begun  to  assume  its 
present  proportions,  the  supply  of  feathers  came  chief- 
ly from  Egypt;  the  bird  being  hunted  by  the  natives, 
and  generally  killed  for  its  plumage,  which  was  in  qual- 
ity far  superior  to  the  feathers  which  are  to-day  raised 
on  farms  at  the  Cape.  The  flues  or  fibres  of  the  Egyp- 
tian were  very  close  and  compact  and  very  strong  in 
texture  and  of  great  durability,  and  having  a  gx-eat 
affinity  for  color,  they  were  capable  of  standing  a  great 
amount  of  manipulation  without  receiving  serious  in- 
juiy.  A  serious  objection  to  them  was  that  one-half,  or 
more,  were  marked  where  the  bird  pecked  them  with  his 
bill,  giving  them  a  moth-eaten  appearance,  and  few  of 
them  could  be  used  for  white,  as  they  were  more  or  less 


4  OSTRICH    KKATHER    DYEING. 

stained  on  the  ends,  a  dirty  3'ellow,  which  soap  would 
not  remove  and  acid  would  only  develop,  there  being  at 
that  time  no  known  mtlliod  of  bleaching  them,  as  the 
virtues  of  Peroxide  of  Hydrogen  or  Permanganate  of 
Potash  as  bleaching  agents  were  unknown  to  the  dyers. 
Enterprising  capitalists  saw  a  profitable  field  for  invest- 
ment in  the  propagation  of  the  bird,  and,  as  a  result, 
the  supply  has  greatly  increased,  and  the  (luality  of  the 
plumage  is  far  sui>erior  in  every  respect  to  the  wild 
Egyptian  ostrich. 

A  full  grown  ostrich  will  weigh  al>out  three  hundred 
pounds,  and  stamls  about  seven  to  eight  feet  in  height. 
In  the  breeding  season  they  will  travel  in  broods  of 
from  three  to  five  in  number,  one  of  which  is  invariably 
a  male.  The  hens  lay  their  eggs  in  a  pit  scraped  out 
with  their  feet,  the  sand  forming  a  ridge  around  it. 
When  they  have  accumulated  a  dozen  eggs  or  so  the 
male  I)egin8  to  brood,  always  taking  his  place  on  them 
at  night,  surronmled  by  the  hens,  while  b}*  day  they 
will  relieve  one  another.  Again,  at  times  the  hatching 
h.ns  been  lefl  entirel}'  to  the  sun.  North  African  eggs 
present  a  smooth  surface,  while  those  of  the  South  are 
pilled. 

At  the  present  time  an  ostrich  farm  is  in  progress  in 
California;  it  is  as  yet  a  very  young  institution, and  itd 


OSTKICH   FEATHER    DYEING.  5 

success  is  being  watched  with  interest,  but,  in  my 
opinion,  while  the  bird  will  live  and  thrive,  the  quality 
of  the  plumage  will  be  very  inferior  to  those  in  their 
native  clime.  So  much  has  already  been  written  con- 
cerning the  bird's  powerful  digestive  organs,  and  so  ex- 
aggerated that  we  will  not  try  to  discredit  or  contradict 
it.  It  is  hardly  necessary  to  remark  that  there  is 
scarcely  enough  substance  in  ten-penny  nails  or  door- 
knobs to  fatten  an  ostrich  on. 


BRIEF  SKETCH  OF  DYESTUFFS  USED  BY  ME 
IN  MY  METHOD  OF  DYEING. 


LOGWOOD. 


Logwood  is  met  with  in  commerce  in  the  shape  of 
large  blocks,  averaging  about  four  hundred  pounds  each 
in  weight.  On  the  surface  the  wood  is  a  dirty  deep 
brown  red,  but  within,  where  it  has  not  come  in  contact 
with  the  atmosphere,  its  color  is  much  brighter.  The 
tree  is  a  native  of  South  America.  It  has  been  known 
and  used  ever  since  a  short  period  after  the  discovery 
of  America.  During  the  twenty-third  year  of  the  reign 
of  Queen  Elizabeth  an  act  of  Parliament  was  passed, 


6  OSTItlCII    KKATIIKH   DYKING. 

forbidding  its  use  as  a  dyestulT,  because  it  did  not  yield 
fast  colors.  This  act  was  repealed,  however,  by  an  Or- 
der in  Council  of  Charles  II.,  which  proceeds  to  set 
forth  that  great  improvements  have  been  made  as  re- 
gards the  obtaining  of  fast  colors  from  logwood.  The 
following  are  the  chief  varieties  of  logwood,  distin- 
guished by  names  derived  from  the  localities  of  expor- 
tation :  Yucatan,  Laguna,  Domingo,  Monte  Christo, 
Fort  Liberie,  Jamaica,  etc. 

Logwood  is  to  day  one  of  our  most  imi>ortant  dye- 
woods,  as  indeed  it  enters  in  feather  dyeing  into  all  of 
the  dark  or  staple  colors,  such  as  black,  navy  blue, 
brown,  green,  garnet.,  etc.  To  extnict  the  substance 
requires  considerable  boiling,  especially  if  used  in  the 
form  of  chips;  if  it  is  used  ground,  which  is  by  far 
preferable  to  chips  in  feather  dyeing,  it  requires  much 
less  boiling  to  extract  the  substance.  The  dyer  will 
often  find  logwood,  that,  although  purchased  under  the 
name  of  a  most  excellent  brand,  will  be  far  inferior  to 
what  he  has  been  using,  in  which  case  it  is  well  to  look 
for  an  adulteration  of  8t>me  sort,  which  it  is  not  at  all 
easy  to  detect,  only  when  it  does  not  produce  the 
desired  result. 


OSTRICH   FEATHER   DYEING.  7 

TURMERIC,     y -'         '  '" 

The  substance  known  as  turmeric  is  the  under-ground 
stem  of  a  plant  which  grows  in  a  wild  state  in  some 
parts  of  China  and  India.  It  emits  a  strong,  but 
pleasant  odor,  and  its  taste  is  peppery,  aromatic  and 
bitter  at  the  same  time.  The  plant,  however,  is  culti- 
vated in  Java  and  Bengal ;  the  latter  country  producing 
the  better  quality.  Although  turmeric  is  rich  in  color- 
ing matter,  its  want  of  permanence  is  a  hindrance  to  it. 
It  is  generally  sold  in  powder,  ground  down  very  fine. 
It  should  be  quite  dry  ;  if  damp,  it  loses  its  color,  turns 
a  dull  yellowish  brown,  and  dyes  flat  shades.  A  good 
turmeric  should  show  a  beautiful  lustre.  It  enters  into 
a  majority  of  the  dark  colors  in  feather  dyeing,  and,  al- 
though used  as  a  body  for  colors  only,  a  great  deal  de- 
pends upon  it  as  to  the  result. 


BICHROMATE    OF   POTASH.     ' 

This  dyestuff,  known  as  red  chrome  and  bichromate 
and  often  times  simply  as  chrome,  consists  in  one  equiv- 
alent of  potash,  with  two  equivalents  of  chromic  acid. 
It  contains  no  water,  and  consequently  cannot  lose  any 
weight  by  exposure  to  heat  or  dry  air.  It  will  not  at- 
tract moisture  from  a  damp  atmosphere.     It  dissolves 


6  OSTRICH   FEATHER   DYEING. 

readily  in  ten  times  its  weight  of  cold  water,  and  is  in- 
soluble in  alcobo".  It  forms  bright  red  crystals,  and 
the  solution  is  of  a  deep  orange  yellow.  Bichromate  of 
potash  is  a  most  powerful  oxidizing  agent,  and  pro* 
<luce3  very  complex  and  interesting  changes  in  tincto- 
rial bodies.  It  is  an  intense  poison.  Its  most  exten- 
sive application  is  now  in  the  production  of  blacks, 
along  with  logwoo«l ;  indeed,  without  its  aid  it  would 
be  next  to  an  impossibility  to  produce  a  glossy  and  i>er- 
manent  black  on  ostrich  feathers.  In  giving  depth  of 
shade  to  all  dark  colors  it  is  used  in  preference  to  any 
thinor  else,  and  I  have  never  found  any  to  contain  any 
adulteration  that  was  perceptible,  or  that  was  a  hin- 
drance to  its  good  (jualities.  It  is  u?ed  in  ostrich 
feather  dyeing  always  in  a  diluted  form,  in  a  very  high 
temperature  of  water. 


ARCHIL. 


About  the  thirteenth  century  an  Italian,  Tederigi 
by  name,  during  travels  iit  the  East  observed  the  tincto- 
rial powers  of  a  certain  class  of  plant  o!  low  organiza- 
tion, called  lichens,  and  intro«luced  the  color  into 
Europe  under  the  name  of  archil.  For  this  discovery 
he   was   amply    rewarded   by  the  government,  besides 


OSTEICH  FEATHER    DYEING.  9 

amassing  a  large  fortune,  as  the  supply  for  years  canae 
from  Florence.  At  first  the  weeds  were  collected  ^on 
the  shores  of  various  islands  in  the  Mediterranean  ;  but 
on  the  discovery  of  the  Canary  Islands,  in  1402,  large 
quantities  were  obtained  from  there.  Later  on  they 
were  imported  from  Cape  Verde ;  and  now  they  are  also 
obtained  from  Madagascar,  Zanzibar,  Angelo  and  Lima 
and  various  localities  in  South  America. 

Tbe  weed  does  not  contain  any  coloring  matter  al- 
ready formed,  but  under  the  influence  of  ammonia  and 
the  oxygen  of  the  atmosphere  gives  rise  to  archil.  The 
manufacture  of  archil  was  for  centuries  carried  on  in 
wooden  troughs.  Two  hundred  parts  lichens  were 
placed  in  the  trough  together  with  about  two  hundred 
and  forty  parts  of  decomposed  urine,  and  the  mixture 
well  worked  every  three  hours  for  forty-eight  hours.  ^  ,  r^  »j/" 
Five  parts  of  slaked  lime,  one  part  of  arsenious  acid  S  '/>  f)'!:)f^ 
and  one  and  one-quarter  parts  of  alum  were  then  added, 
and  the  whole  well  stirred  and  allowed  to  ferment. 
The  stirring  was  repeated,  from  time  to  time,  for  a 
month.  The  contents  of  the  'trough  were  then  removed 
to  casks,  and  left  to  stand,  thus  improving  the  color. 
Archil  is  also  one  of  the  most  important  dyestuffs  used 
by  the  feather  dyer,  principally  entering  into  the  com, 
position  of    garnet,  plum,  brown,  etc.      Contact  with 


10  OSTKKII    KEATHKK    DYKINO. 

acid  will  destroy   its  coloring  virtues  by  turning  it  a 
dull  brown  red. 


SAFRANINE. 


It  is  prepared  b}'  treating  aniline  oils  successively 
with  nitrous  acid  and  arsenic  acid,  and  one  of  an  alka- 
line nitrate  at  about  212^  Fab.,  for  a  sbort  time.  The 
product  is  extracted  with  boiling  water,  neutralized 
with  an  alkali  Gltered,  and  the  color  precipitated  with 
common  salt. 

Pure  hydrochloride  forms  thin  reddish  cr^'stals, 
which  are  soluble  in  water  and  in  alcohol,  yielding  a 
yellowish  red  solution..  The  most  characteristic  reac- 
tion of  safranine  is  that  when  concentrated  sulphuric 
acid  is  gradually  added  to  its  solution,  the  color 
changes  to  violet,  then  to  blue,  dark  green  and  light 
green.  Then,  on  diluting  the  solution  with  water,  the 
same  changes  of  color  take  place,  only  in  the  reverse 
order. 

In  feather  dyeing  safranine  is  used  chiefly  In  making 
light  colore  of  a  pinkish  hue ;  such  as  pink,  terra  cotta, 
and  to  give  a  tint  to  ecru,  beige  and  such  colors. 


OSTRICH  FEATHER  DYEING.  11 

OXALIC    ACID,    ^  '    ^ 

Oxalic  acid,  a  most  powerful  acid,  occurs  combined 
chiefly  with  potash  juices  of  plants  of  the  genus  oxahs 
and  rumex.  Artificially  it  was  obtained  by  the  action 
of  nitric  acid  upon  sugar  and  starch,  but  has  been  pre- 
pared latterly  by  treating  spent  dyestuffs  with  alkalies. 
Oxalic  acid  forms  colorless  transparent  crystals,  which 
are  inodorous,  intensely  sour,  and  do  not  grow  moist 
upon  exposure.  Should  they  become  damp,  some  nitric 
or  sulphuric  acid,  used  in  the  preparation,  has  not  been 
thoroughly  removed.  It  is  soluble  in  its  own  weight  of 
boiling  water,  but  requires  about  eight  times  its  weight 
of  water  at  65°  Fah.  Oxalic  is  one  of  the  largely  used 
acids  in  feather  d3^eing,  being  used  in  a  number  of  light 
colors  for  the  purpose  of  developing  the  color.  In  de- 
veloping  blues  it  is  invaluable.  Other  colors  it  will  to- 
tally destroy,  violet  or  safranine,  for  example  ;  and  it  is 
used  in  place  of  sulphuric  acid  for  the  purpose  of  ex- 
tracting color. 


Indigo  is  derived  from  several  plants  of  warm  cli- 
mates. In  the  plant  the  color  exists  as  a  yellowish  liq- 
uid ;  but  when  extracted  and  exposed  to  the  action  of 


12  OSTRICH    KEATUER   DYEING. 

the  air  it  becomes  insoluble,  and  takes  an  intensely 
blue  color.  The  cultivation  of  the  plant  is  carried  on 
chiefly  in  India,  Java,  Egypt  and  Louisiana.  Indigo 
comes  in  the  market  in  lumps,  which,  if  of  good  qual- 
ity, presents  a  deep  bluish  purple  color,  and  exhibits  a 
fine  reddish  coppery  lustre  if  rubbed  with  a  hard,  pol- 
ished body.  If  very  hard  or  heavy,  or  when  the  color 
is  very  dull,  blackish,  greenish  or  brownish,  the  quality 
is  below  the  standard.  It  is,  however,  of  very  little 
consequence  in  ostrich  feather  dyeing,  and  its  impuri- 
ties would  scarcely  at  any  time  be  noticeable.  It 
should,  however,  dilute  thoroujihly  in  boiling  water, 
and  if  there  remain  a  sediment  of  any  proportion,  the 
indigo  is  impure.  Sulphuric  acid  is  generally  used  to 
develop  the  color. 


SULPHURIC   ACID. 

Sulphuric  acid,  commonly'  called  oil  of^ vitriol,  a  com- 
mon, yet  very  important,  acid.  Although  not  used  to 
any  great  extent  in  ostrich  feather  dyeing,  it  occurs  in 
commerce  in  various  states  and  degrees  of  purity.  It 
was  at  one  time  prepared  bj'  distilling  dried  copperas  at 
a  hi<rh  temperature.  It  is  now  obtained  in  greater 
purity  from  the  alkaline  bisulphates.     It  is  a  clear  col- 


OSTRICH    FEATHEK  DPEIXG.  13 

orless  oily  fluid,  weighing  about  eighteen  pounds  to  the 
gallon.  If  mixed  with  cold  water,  a  great  increase  of 
temperature  takes  place.  It  rapidly  destroys  organic 
bodies,  depriving  them  of  their  oxygen  and  bj-drogen, 
and  leaving  the  carbon  behind,  as  a  blackish  mass.  If 
any  particle  of  organic  matter  falls  into  a  carboy  of 
acid,  it  is  decomposed,  and  imparts  a  dark  color  to  the 
liquid.  It  takes  up  water  from  the  air  rapidly,  if  left 
uncorked,  and  thus  dilutes  itself.  Its  use  in  feather 
dyeing  is  principally  to  extract  colors  that  are  too- 
dark. 


COPPERAS. 

Copperas  is  generally  prepared  from  the  soft,  white 
variety  of  iron  pyrites,  frequently  found  to  a  great  ex- 
tent in  the  coal  measures.  These,  on  exposure  to  air 
and  moisture,  decompose  the  latter,  taking  up  oxygen, 
and  are  thus  converted  into  sulphate  of  iron.  Copperas 
forms  pale  greenish  blue  semi-transparent  crystals,  con- 
taining forty-five  per  cent,  of  water.  If  this  be  ex- 
pelled, there  remains  a  dull  whitish  powder.  The  cr^'s- 
tals  dissolve  readily  in  one  and  one-half  times  their 
weight  of  cold  water,  and  less  than  half  their  weight  of 
boiling  water.  The  direct  uses  of  copperas  have  very 
much   diminished    in   feather    dyeing;    as   for   dyeing 


14  OSTRICU    FEATHER   DYEIMO. 

black  in  conjunction  wIlIj  logwood  it  has  been  almost 
entirely  superseded  by  bichromate  of  potash.  In  drabs 
and  in  saddening  down  light  colors  it  is,  to  a  certain  ex- 
tent, still  used.  It  is  used  in  quantities  so  small,  how- 
ever, that  there  is  no  serious  results  to  be  feared,  as  it 
must  be  used  in  quantity  to  injure  the  fibre. 


BISMARCK   BROWN. 

Bismarck  brown  is  a  product  that  is  used  iji  feather 
dyeing  to  a  considerable  extent,  chiefly  in  a  diluted 
form.  It  dissolves  readily  in  boiling  water.  It  comes 
in  the  form  of  a  powder,  of  a  dirty  black  hue,  and  in 
liquid  it  is  a  heavy  yellowish  red.  It  makes  a  fast  col- 
or, alkali  having  but  little  ell'ect  on  it.  Oxalic  or  sul- 
phuric acid  will  brighten  the  color,  and  turning  it  more 
on  the  red  order.  In  giving  a  brownish  hue  to  such 
light  colors  as  beige,  ecru,  etc.,  it  is  invaluable.  It  is 
used  liy  some  in  the  topping  of  dark  brown.  It  has 
such  a  great  aflinjty  for  the  fibre  of  feathers  that  it  is 
very  dillicult  to  remove  therefrom. 


CONCENTRATED  COTTON   BLUB 


This  blue  appears  to  the  consumer  in  the  form  of 
crystals  or  coarse  powder  of  a  purjilish  tint.     It  is  not 


OSTRICH  FEATHER  DYEING.  15 

universally  used  among  feather  dyers,  although  it  is  the 
most  reliable  aniline  blue  in  use.  It  is  used  in  conjunc- 
tion with  oxalic  acid  to  develop.  It  is  fast  to  light,  and 
possesses  a  great  many  advantages  of  value.  It  is  sol- 
uble in  water,  either  hot  or  cold,  and  is  used  in  the  pro- 
duction of  the  palest  shades,  as  well  as  in  the  darkest 
navy  blues. 


ROCCELINE. 


A  patented  product,  that  in  feather  dyeing  is  capa- 
ble  of  taking  the  place  of  all  other  reds.  It  is  the  only 
dyestuff  that  satisfactorily  takes  the  place  of  extract  of 
safflower,  producing,  with  the  aid  of  a  proportion  of 
oxalic  acid,  the  most  beautiful  shades  of  scarlet  and 
cardinal.  It  is  perfectly  fast  to  light,  dissolves  readily 
in  boiling  water,  and  comes  to  us  in  the  form  of  a  dull 
red  powder.  Its  adulterations,  if  it  contains  any,  have 
never  interfered  with  its  success  ;  in  fact,  to  the  feather 
dyer  it  contains  virtues  too  manifold  and  valuable  to 
enumerate. 


10  OSTKICII    KKATHKR   DYBrNO. 


DYEING    RECIPES. 


WHITE. 

BLEACmNO,  OE  WHAT   IS   COMMONLY   CALLED  CLEANING. 

After  stringing  your  feathers  and  marking  your 
tickets,  prepare  luke  warm  soap-water  and  wash  thor- 
oughly between  the  hands  to  remove  all  dirl  and  grease. 
Rub  the  soap  on  the  feathers,  rinse  thoroughly  in  luke 
warm  water  two  or  three  times  for  the  purpose  of  re- 
moving all  particles  of  soap,  which  is  very  important; 
just  as  much  so  as  removing  the  dirt.  For  one  to  one 
hundred  feathers  you  can  use  a  common  porcelain  wash 
bowl.  Prepare  bath  b}  using  one  gallon  of  clear  cold 
water,  add  to  that  a  small  handful  of  starch,  powdered 
or  hiuip  starch  will  answer.  Enter  feathers,  rubbing 
them  thoroughly  between  the  hands  to  expand  the  flues 
and  get  them  in  condition  to  receive  the  color,  so  as  to 
insure  an  even  shade;  after  which  add  about  one-half 
teaspoonful  of  oxalic  acid  and  a  drop  of  diluted  violet. 


OSTRICH  FEATHER  DYEING.  17 

just  enough  to  give  your  kath  a  pale  lavender  tint. 
■  Enter  feathers,  and  let  remain  in  bath  about  one  min- 
ute, keeping  them  under  the  surface  and  agitating  by 
rubbing  them  between  the  hands ;  after  which  squeeze 
feathers  out  of  bath  and  dry.  The  quickest  method  for 
a  few  feathers  is  to  have  a  small  quantity  of  clean,  pow- 
dered starch,  and  rub  them  around  in  it  The  starch 
will  immediately  absorb  all  moisture,  and  you  have  but 
to  beat  it  out  of  the  flues,  as  it  dries  either  on  a  clean 
board  or  between  the  hands.  It  is  but  the  work  of  a  lew 
seconds.  This  method  of  drying  insures  an  unsoiled 
color,  as  the  feathers  are  dry  a  few  seconds  after  leaving 
the  bath. 

Great  care  should  be  used  to  bring  your  violet  di- 
luted thoroughly,  so  that  no  particles  may  enter  the 
bath  and  spot  your  goods.  In  diluting  your  violet  use 
boiling  water,  and  shake  well  in  bottle,  and  let  it  stand 
for  a  time,  when  all  sediment  will  settle  at  the  bottom, 
and  will  not  again  mix  with  your  color. 

It  is  very  important  to  use  only  the  amount  of  oxalic 
acid  mentioned  in  recipe,  as  a  greater  quantity  would 
destroy  your  color  by  turning  the  violet  a  dirty  blueish 
green,  and  much  less  than  the  quantity  mentioned 
would  have  a  tendency  to  cast  a  lavender  tint  on  your 
goods.     Should  you,  bj'  mistake  or  carelessness,  spoil 


18  OSTKICU   FEATIIEK   IIYEINO. 

your  white,  proceed  to  rinse  off  all  the  starch  in  cold 
water  first ;  then  in  luke  warm  water  to  remove  all  the 
acid  from  ftatbers,  and  then  use  soap  and  hot  water, 
and  wash -well,  and  rinse.  Mix  afresh  white  bath  as 
directed  in  the  recipe,  and  proceed  this  time  with  mure 
care. 


BLEACHING  LIGHT  COLORS  WHITE. 

Old  faded  light  colors,  such  as  blue,  pink,  ecru,  corn, 
drab,  etc.,  that  you  are  desirous  of  bleaching  white, 
can  be  accomplisled  in  the  following  way.  Wash  feath- 
ers thoroughly  in  warm  water,  using  soap.  Add  a 
small  pinch  of  soda,  after  which  rinse  in  about  three 
warm  waters  to  insure  the  removal  of  every  particle  of 
soap.  Dilute  in  clean  bowl  or  L>asin  onc-quarler  ounce 
of  permanganate  of  potash  in  one  gallon  of  boiling 
water.  The  water  must  be  as  hot  as  steam  or  fire  can 
make  it.  Enter  feathers,  and  let  remain  in  bath  about 
one  minute,  a  few  seconds  more  or  less  will  do  no  harm, 
nor  will  it  make  any  material  difference  in  the  result ; 
continually  agitating  in  bath  with  clean  stick,  after 
which  you  will  notice  that  the  feathers  have  assumed  a 
light,  full  brown  color.  Take  out  of  the  bath,  but  do 
not  rinse  them ;  let  the  loose  color  drain  off  for  a  few 


OSTRICH  FEATHER    DYEING.  19 

seconds,  meantime  empty  bath  and  rinse  j'our  bowl 
tliorougbly ;  then  dilute  half  an  ounce  of  oxalic  acid  or 
sulphurous  acid  in  one  gallon  of  boiling  water.  The 
water  must  be  absolutely  clean.  Enter  feathers,  and  let 
remain  in  until  all  the  color  has  entirely  disappeared, 
gently  agitating  while  in  bath.  After  the  bath  has  be- 
come transparent  and  the  feathers  white,  which  will  talie 
about  two  minutes,  empty  out  about  two-thirds  of  the 
bath,  and  add  cold  water  to  reduce  to  hand  heat;  then 
add  a  small  handful  of  starch  and  a  drop  of  diluted 
violet,  and  enter  your  feathers,  and  let  them  remain  in 
about  one  minute,  squeeze  out  and  dry  in  starch.  Blue 
you  will  generally  find  the  hardest  of  all  light  colors  to 
remove  for  white,  the  soda  and  permanganate  seem- 
ing apparently  to  decompose  the  color.  The  moment  it 
enters  the  oxalic  bath,  it  generally,  to  a  more  or  less 
extent,  develops  the  color  again.  Such  being  the  case, 
after  rinsing  in  luke  warm  water  to  remove  acid,  return 
to  a  weak  soda  bath  for  a  minute,  and  then  rinse  and 
return  to  permanganate  bath,  rather  weaker  than  the 
first  one  ;  in  other  words,  repeat  the  first  operation  all 
through,  only  in  weaker  solutions. 

This  process  can  be  used  successfully  in  bleaching 
all  light  colors  white.  In  bleaching  natural  blacks, 
however,  it   would   not   be   practicable.     A  recipe  for 


20  OSTniClI    FEATHER   DYEISO. 

bleaching  natural  black  will  be  found  in  another  i)ortion 
of  the  book. 


LIGHT  PINK. 

"White  feathers  are  generally  used  for  this  color,  but 
all  light  colors  can  be  made  a  beautiful  shade  of  pink 
by  first  bleaching  with  jK'rraanganate  of  potash.  After 
washing  and  rinsing  thoroughly  in  lake  warm  water, 
soap  to  remove  all  loose  dirt  and  grease,  or  bleaching, 
if  required.  Prepare  bath  as  follows :  Take  one  gallon 
of  luke  warm  water,  more  or  less,  according  to  the 
quantity*  of  feathers  j'ou  have  to  dye  add  a  small  hand- 
ful of  starch.  Enter  your  feathers  and  rub  around  be- 
tween the  hands  thoroughly'  to  open  the  flues  so  as  to  in* 
sure  an  even  shade  ;  add  a  couple  of  drops  of  diluted 
safranine  to  bath.  Enter  feathers,  and  let  them  remain 
in  the  bath  about  one  minute,  or  until  feathers  look 
about  two  shades  darker  than  sample ;  gently  stirring 
them  around  in  balh  meanwhile,  and  keeping  them  un- 
der the  surface.  Remove  from  l>ath,  squeeze  and  dr}' 
in  the  usual  way,  rubbing  them  m  dry  powdered  starch, 
and  beat  them  out  on  a  clean  board  or  between  the 
hands  to  remove  all  particles  which  might  adhere. 
Should  your  sample  that  you  have  to  match  l)e  a  little 


OSTRICH   FEATHER   DYEIXG. 


20a 


// 


"WHITE— page  16. 


LIGHT  PINK— page  20. 


LILAC— page  56. 


LEMON— page  52. 


V 


OSTRICH    FEATHER   DYEING.  21 

on  the  yellowish  order,  a  drop  of  diluted  Bismarck 
brown  added  to  bath  will  bring  the  desired  shade  ;  or  if 
a  very  brilliant  shade  or  rose  pink,  a  drop  of  diluted 
violet  added  to  the  bath  and  increase  temperature  ;  a 
little  judgment  is  always  necessary  ;  as,  for  example, 
should  you  require  a  dark  shade,  you  would  naturally 
let  your  goods  remain  longer  in  the  bath  than  the  time 
specified  in  recipe,  or  add  a  little  more  color,  and  if 
a  very  pale  pink  is  wanted,  less  time  and  color  should 
be  used.  Should  you,  at  any  time,  find  your  color, 
after  being  dried,  a  couple  of  shades  darker  than  your 
sample,  rinse  goods  m  hike  warm  water,  and  enter 
feathers,  pass  through  for  a  minute,  and  dry. 


LIGHT  BLUE. 

All  other  faded  out  light  colors  can  be  made  into  a 
delicate  shade  of  sky  blue  by  first  bleaching  with  per- 
manganate of  potash  process  for  the  purpose  of  remov- 
ing colors.  White  feathers  that  are  only  dirty  and 
greasy  must  be  thoroughly  washed  and  rinsed  in  hike 
warm  water,  after  which  prepare  bath  as  follows :  For 
one  gallon  of  luke  warm  water,  more  or  less,  according 
to  the  amount  of  feathers  to  be  dyed,  add  a  small 
handful   of  clean  starch  ;   enter  your  feather   and   rub 


23  OSTRICH    FEATHER   DYEING. 

them  around  in  bath  fur  a  second  l>etwecn  the  hands  to 
open  the  flues,  to  admit  color  evenly  ;  add  about  one 
teaspoonful  of  oxalic  acid,  enter  feathers  and  let  remain 
in  bath  a  few  seconds  longer;  then  remove  feathers 
from  bath,  and  add  a  couple  of  drops  of  concentrated 
cotton  blue  diluted ;  re-enter  feathers  and  let  them  re- 
main in  about  half  a  minute;  increase  temperature  of 
your  bath  a  few  degrees  by  adding  some  hot  water; 
take  feathers  out  of  bath  and  add  thereto  a  drop  of 
diluted  indigo  blue ;  reenter,  and  keep  them  well  under 
the  surface  of  bath  to  give  them  an  even  color,  and  al- 
low to  remain  in  about  thirty  seconds  longer.  Take 
them  out  of  bath,  squeeze  out  and  dry,  either  in  pow- 
dered starch  or  by  beating  on  a  clean  board  or  table. 
Under  no  circumstances  allow  feathers  to  hang  wet  and 
motionless  on  line  during  process  of  drying  witliout 
beating  the  starch  out.  The  result  of  so  doing  would 
cause  the  feathers  to  look  thin,  shriveled,  and  injure  the 
color  and  quality  of  goods.  The  same  care  should  be 
observed  not  alone  in  this,  but  in  all  colors. 

In  light  blui'S  your  bath  should  look  about  two 
shades  darker  than  the  sample  to  be  matched.  Where 
a  darker  shade  is  required,  more  color  can  be  added  ; 
and,  through  carelessness  or  negligence,  should  you 
allow  your   color  to  become  too  dark,  rinse  off  your 


OSTRICH    FEATHER   DYEING.  23 

feathers  in  cold  water  first  to  remove  the  starch,  and 
then  in  Iiike  warm  water  a  couple  of  times  to  draw  oflf 
all  acid,  and  pass  feathers  a  few  seconds  through  a  bath 
of  luke  warm  water  with  a  small  pinch  of  soda  in  it, 
which  will  have  the  effect  of  drawing  off  all  surplus 
color;  after  which  rinse  in  luke  warm  water,  and  mix  a 
fresh  bath  of  luke  warm  water  and  starch  and  one-half 
a  teaspoonful  of  oxalic  acid ;  enter  your  feathers  and 
carefully  add  color  u)itil  you  have  obtained  the  desired 
shade. 


ECRU. 


All  old  colors,  excepting  dark  brown,  bottle  green, 
navy  blue,  black,  garnet,  etc.,  can  be  dyed  a  good  shade 
of  ecru.  Begin  an  old  color  by  passing  them  through 
a  solution  of  hot  water,  about  one  ounce  of  soda  to  a 
gallon  of  water,  for  about  30  seconds ;  after  which  take 
them  out  and  rinse  by  passing  them  through  clean  boil- 
ing water,  which  will  draw  off  more  color  than  it  would 
seem  possible  the  feathers  could  contain.  If  all  the 
old  color,  or  enough  of  it,  be  not  removed,  put  feathers 
through  the  permanganate  of  potash  process.  For 
dirty  white  feathers  simply  wash  them  thoroughly  with 
soap  .ind  hot  water,  and  rinse  well ;  then  prepare  your 


24  OSTRICH    FEATHER    DYEIKO. 

bath  as  follows :  One  gallon  of  band  warm  water,  add 
a  small  handful  of  starch,  and  enter  feathers,  rubbing 
them  around  thoroughly,  and  getting  the  starch  ru!)bed 
into  the  flues;  then  add  to  bath  a  small  quantity  of 
copi)eras,  about  the  size  of  a  l)ean,and  re-enter  your 
feathers  and  let  remain  in  bath  about  one  minute  or 
less;  after  which  add  a  few  drops  of  logwood  liquor 
and  about  a  teaspoonful  of  diluted  aniline  brown,  first 
removing  feathers  from  bath ;  enter  feathers  and  let  re- 
main in  bath  about  one  minute,  being  careful  to  keep 
them  moving  in  bath.  If  found  a  little  too  brown  to 
match  your  sample,  a  small  pinch  of  turmeric  ailded  to 
bath  will  reduce  the  shade.  If  they  are  found  a  little 
too  yellow  for  sample,  a  drop  of  diluted  violet  will 
answer. 

If  the  dyer,  through  his  own  carelessness,  should 
allow  his  color  to  get  too  dark,  proceed  to  extract  color 
as  follows:  dilute  in  about  one  gallon  of  hike  warm 
water  one-half  teaspoonful  of  oxalic  acid.  Enter  feath- 
ers, first  rinsing  off  starch  in  cold  water;  let  them  re- 
main in  about  half  a  minute,  and  rinse  off  about  three 
times  in  hot  water  to  remove  acid.  The  acid  will  turn 
the  feathers  a  bright  yellow,  and  ader  rinsing  off  well 
the  jellow  color  will  have  entirely  disappeared,  and  the 
feathers  a  light  shade  of  dust.     Prepare  a  fresh  bath  as 


OSTRICH  FEATHER  DYEING.  25 

per  recipe,  and,  using  more  care,  enter  feathers  and  pass 
through  until  you  have  acquired  the  desired  shade. 

In  the  first  bath,  should  a  very  dark  shade  be  re- 
quired, add  a  little  more  logwood  and  copperas  than 
directed  in  the  recipe,  and  if  a  very  light  color,  a  little 
less. 


CREAM    COLOR. 

There  are  numerous  methods  of  producing  this  most 
beautiful,  yet  simple,  shade.  Any  yellow  substance  in 
conjunction  with  oxalic  acid  can  be  used  with  more  or 
less  fair  success.  A  great  many  dyers  use  a  few 
drops  of  diluted  logwood,  developed  with  the  aid  of 
oxalic  acid.  The  color  this  produces  is  very  satisfac- 
tory when  finished,  but  no  sooner  is  it  exposed  to 
strong  light  than  the  color  becomes  a  dirty  drab  shade, 
caused  by  the  acid  leaving  the  feathers,  the  logwood  be- 
coming oxidized. 

The  best  and  most  permanent  shade  of  cream  color 
is  obtained  in  the  following  manner :  Thoroughly  wash 
and  rinse  your  feathers  to  remove  every  particle  of  dirt, 
for  it  is  as  necessary  to  have  the  feathers  clean  as  if 
they  were  for  a  white,  and  if  they  are  very  dirty  or  old 
faded  out  colors,  put  them  through  the  permanganate 


96  OSTRICH   FEATHER   DYEING, 

of  potash  process,  and  then  remove  all  color.  Prepare 
bath  of  one  gallon  of  luke  warm  water  and  a  small 
handful  of  starch  ;  enter  feathers  and  rub  around  in 
bath  between  the  hands  ;  meantime  dilute  in  about  one 
pint  of  boiling  water  a  small  five-cent  package  of  es- 
Bence  of  coffee  (commonly  called  chicory),  and  boil  for 
a  few  minutes;  then  add  a  few  drops  of  the  liquid  to 
the  bath,  and  add  thereto  a  teaspoonful  of  oxalic  acid. 
Reenter  feathers  and  let  remain  in  bath  about  one  min- 
ute, constantly  moving  them  around ;  after  which 
squeeze  them  out  and  dry,  either  in  starch  or  on  a  clean 
board. 

The  result  will  be  a  rich  and  permanent  cream. 
Should  a  pink  or  brownish  tint  be  required  to  match 
sample,  a  drop  of  Bismarck  brown  added  to  bath  will 
produce  the  desired  result;  or  if  wanted  a  little  more 
yellow,  a  few  grains  of  turmeric  added  to  the  bath  will 
answer. 


SILVER   GRAY. 

A  very  delicate  color,  requiring  feathers  almost  a 
pure  white  to  make  a  clear  shade.  After  thorough!}' 
wnsliing  and  rinsing,  or  bleaching  if  reciuired,  witlj  per- 
manganate of  potash,  prepare  a  bath  of  one  gallon  of 


OSTRICH   FEATH--R   DyEI^-t,. 


IT' 


2Ga 


n] 


CREAM-page  25. 


LIGHT  BLUE— page  21. 


LAVENDER-page  38.  SALMOX-page  71. 


K 


OSTRICH   FEATHER    DYEING.  27 

luke  warm  water,  and  add  a  small  handful  of  starch. 
Enter  feathers  and  manipulate  between  the  hands; 
then  add  to  bath  a  small  piece  of  copperas,  about  the 
size  of  a  pea,  and  a  few  drops  of  diluted  logwood  liq- 
uor ;  re-enter  feathers  and  let  remain  in  bath  until  in 
appearances  they  are  two  or  three  shades  darker 
than  sample;  then  add  to  bath  a  couple  of  drops  of 
diluted  violet,  first  removing  feathers  from  bath ;  let 
them  remain  in  a  few  seconds  longer,  and  squeeze  out 
and  dry  in  the  usual  way.  The  violet  gives  j'our  feath- 
ers the  brilliant  shade  that  is  so  desirable  in  silver 
grays. 

Be  careful  in  drying  them  not  to  use  starch  that  has 
been  previously  used  in  drying  feathers  that  have  been 
dyed  in  acid  baths,  as  it  would  be  liable  to  spot  your 
color.  Should  you,  through  carelessness  or  otherwise, 
allow  your  color  to  get  darker  than  shade  desired,  rinse 
feathers  off  a  couple  of  times  in  cold  water  to  remove 
starch ;  then  dilute  half  a  teaspoonful  of  oxalic  acid  in 
a  gallon  of  hot  water,  and  pass  feathers  thi-ough  it  for 
a  few  seconds,  and  then  rinse  off  twice  in  boiling  water. 
After  which  prepare  a  bath  same  as  per  recipe,  using 
more  care,  and  pass  feathers  through  until  you  have  ob- 
tained the  desired  shade. 


28  OSTRICH    KEATIIEU    DYEING. 

BISMARCK   BROWN. 

Wasli  and  rinse  your  feathers,  after  which  prepare  a 
bath  of  one  gallon  of  boiling  water  and  about  one 
ounce  of  turnuric  and  half  an  ounce  of  copperas ;  en- 
ter your  feathers  antl  let  them  remain  in  bath  alK>ut  two 
minutes,  more  or  less,  after  which  take  out  and  rinse 
twice  in  cold  water.  Meantime  have  boiling  a  bath  of 
half  a  pound  of  logwood  to  a  gallon  of  water,  and  en- 
ter feathers  at  boiling  temperature,  letting  them  remain 
in  about  ten  seconds  or  longer.  Should  a  darker  shade 
be  desired,  take  out  and  rinse  in  cold  water,  aller  which 
dilute  a  half  teaspoonful  of  aniline  brown  in  a  gallon  of 
boiling  water.  Reduce  temperature  a  little  with  cold 
water.  Enter  feathers  and  let  them  remain  in  about 
three  minutes ;  then  cool  off  a  small  portion  of  the 
bath,  and  add  a  small  handful  of  starch,  pass  feathers 
through  and  dry. 

If  a  lighter  shade  is  wanted,  add  a  drop  of  sul- 
l)huric  acid  to  the  starch  bath  and  pass  feathers 
through.  If  the  sample  to  match  be  more  on  the  yel- 
low order,  about  twice  the  amount  of  turmeric  in  the 
first  bath  ;  and  if  desired  more  on  the  red,  use  no  tur- 
meric, only  copperas,  in  the  first  bath.  If  a  darker 
shade  is  wanted,  let  them  remain  a  longer  time   than 


OSTRICH  FEATHER    DYEING.  29 

that  specified  in  the  logwood  bath.  Any  light  color 
can  be  used  to  make  a  Bismarck  brown  ;  but  if  very- 
dark  colors  are  used,  it  is  well  to  draw  off  some  of  the 
color,  doing  it  in  the  usual  way. 

SEAL   BROWN. 

For  seal  brown  it  is  not  necessary  to  wash  your 
feathers,  nor  to  bleach  off  any  color.  Any  old  colors, 
excepting  black,  can  be  made  a  good  shade  of  seal 
brown.  Begin  in  bath  by  diluting  about  two  ounces  of 
turmeric  in  a  gallon  of  boiling  water  (more  or  less  mat- 
ters not).  Enter  your  feathers  and  keep  them  well  un- 
der the  surface  of  the  bath  about  two  or  three  minutes  ; 
after  which  take  out  and  rinse  in  cold  water  twice.  In 
the  meantime  boiling  a  bath  of  logwood  about  one 
pound  to  a  gallon  of  water.  If  boiled  on  fire  about 
fifteen  minutes  is  necessary,  and  if  boiled  with  steam  a 
half  hour  is  required.  Enter  feathers  in  logwood  and 
let  remain  in  about  three  minutes,  keeping  them  well 
under  the  surface  of  bath,  after  which  take  out  and 
rinse ;  if  m  cold  water  about  fwice,  then  dilute  a  half 
an  ounce  of  bichromate  of  potash  in  a  gallon  of  boiling 
water,  and  see  that  bichromate  is  thoroughly  dissolved. 
Enter  feathers  and  let  them  remain  in  about  ten  seconds, 


30  OSTRICH    FEATHEH   DYEING. 

a,  longer  time  if  a  ver}-  dark  shade  is  wanted;  tben  take 
tbcin  out  and  rinse  thoroughly  >n  cold  water;  after 
which  add  to  .your  logwood  bath  about  one  tablespoon- 
ful  of  extract  of  archil ;  bring  bath  to  a  boil  and  enter 
your  feathers  ;  cover  up  bath  and  let  them  remain  in 
about  four  minutes;  a  little  more  or  less  time,  iu  this 
bath  is  of  no  material  diflerence  in  color,  only  to  make 
the  shade  heavier  or  lighter.  Take  your  feathers  out  of 
bath  and  rinse  in  cold  water ;  mix  a  small  handful  of 
starch  iu  about  a  quart  of  cold  water,  and  pass  feathers 
through  and  dry  in  the  usual  wu}-. 

If  your  color  be  darker  than  the  shade  you  desire, 
add  a  drop  or  two  of  sulphuric  acid  to  starch  bath,  and 
pass  your  feathers  through  for  a  few  seconds.  If  found 
to  be  lighter  than  the  shade  you  desire,  rinse  off  the 
starch  from  3'our  feathers  in  cold  water ;  then  dilute  a 
quarter  of  an  ounce  of  bichromate  of  potash  in  a  gallon 
of  boiling  water,  and  pass  your  feathers  through  ;  after 
which  rinse,  starch  and  dry. 

Another  excellent  method  for  quick  seal  brown  is  as 
follows:  dilute  two  ounces  of  turmeric  an<l  half  an 
ounce  of  copjjeras  in  one  gallon  of  l)oiling  water,  and  let 
them  remain  in  about  two  minutes  ;  take  out  and  rinse, 
then  enter  in  a  strong  bath  of  logwood  at  boiling,  and 
keep  under   surface   about   three  miuules;  alter  which 


OSTRICH    FEATIIl^^Il    DYEING. 


30a 


i 


SEA-FOAM— page  70. 


ECRU— page  23. 


SILVER  GRAY— page  26. 


V 


i^i 


TRILEUL— page  58. 


OSTRICH   FEATHER   DYEING.  31 

rinse ,  then  mix  a  bath  of  a  quarter  to  a  half  teaspoon- 
ful  of  aniline  brown  in  a  gallon  of  boiling  water.  En- 
ter your  feathers  and  let  them  remain  in  bath  about 
three  minutes ;  take  out,  rinse,  starch  and  dry.  If  re- 
quired darker,  re-enter  into  logwood  bath  for  a  few  sec- 
onds. If  wanted  lighter,  add  a  drop  or  two  of  sulphuric 
acid  in  your  starch  bath,  squeeze  out  and  dry  in  the 
usual  way. 


NAYY  BLUE. 

All  light  colored  feathers  can  be  used  for  navy  blue 
without  first  either  washing  or  bleaching  out  any  of  the 
color.  But  if  your  feathers  be  very  dirty  or  greasy, 
especially  the  latter,  wash  them  well  in  warm  soap 
water  and  rinse.  Prepare  bath  by  diluting  about  one 
teaspoonful  of  concentrated  cotton  blue  in  one  gallon  of 
boiling  water ;  add  about  a  teaspoonful  of  oxalic  acid. 
Stir  around  well  to  thoroughly  dissolve  aniline;  then 
enter  j^our  feathers,  and  raise  temperature  of  j^our  bath 
to  boiling.  Let  feathers  remain  in  about  three  min- 
utes ;  a  minute  more  will  not  do  any  harm,  only  have  a 
tendency  to  make  your  color  a  little  richer;  after  which 
take  feathers  out  of  bath  and  rinse  thoroughly  in  cold 
water  for  the  purpose  of  removing  all  loose  particles 


34  OSTRICH    FEATHER   DYErNO. 

little  longer,  or  a  few  drops  of  diluted  violet  in  bath 
will  answer  instead.  Then  empty  out  all  but  a  small 
quantity  of  your  bath  and  cool  off  with  cold  water,  and 
add  a  small  handful  of  starch.  Pass  feathers  through, 
squeeze  out  and  dry.  The  result  is  a  most  beautiful 
shade  of  cardinal.  This  color  is  perfectly  fast  to  light. 
If  3"our  shade  to  match  should  happen  to  l>e  slightl}'  on 
the  yellowish  order,  a  few  drops  of  diluted  aniline 
brown  added  to  bath  with  rocceline  will  produce  the 
yellowish  tint.  It  is  hardly  possible  to  spoil  this  color, 
except  by  the  extravagant  use  of  one  of  the  ingre- 
dients. 


CRUSHED   STRAWBKRRY. 

Prepare  feathers  by  washing  and  rinsing  thoroughly 
in  hike  warm  water ;  or  if  old,  dark,  faded  out  colors, 
pass  them  through  bleaching  process  of  permanganate 
of  potash  ;  afterwards  Iwing  careful  to  rinse  all  the  acid 
out  before  oitering  bath.  Prepare  bath  by  diluting  a 
small  handful  of  starch  in  about  a  gallon  of  hike  warm 
water,  enter  feathers  and  manipulate  thoroughly  l>e- 
twcen  the  hands  for  a  few  seconds;  take  out,  and  add 
to  bath  a  few  drops  of  diluted  safVanine  ;  re-enter 
feathers  and  let  remain  in  bath  about  one  minute,  or 


OSTRICH   FEATHER   DYEIISTG. 


34a 


OSTRICH    FEATHER    DYEING.  35 

until  they  have  assumed  a  dark  sbade  of  pink  ;  then  add 
to  bath  a  few  drops  of  diluted  aniline  brown  and  a 
small  pinch  of  copperas,  and  enter  feathers,  letting 
them  remain  a  minute  longer.  Take  feathers  out,  and 
dry  in  the  usual  way. 

If  a  very  dark  shade  is  wanted,  a  few  drops  of  di- 
luted logwood  added  to  bath  at  the  time  3'ou  add  the 
copperas  will  have  the  desired  effect ;  or  a  few  drops  of 
violet  will  answer  in  its  stead.  Should  j'ou  find  your 
color  too  much  on  the  drab,  a  few  drops  of  safranine 
added  to  bath  will  have  the  desired  effect.  Should  3'ou 
find  that  your  color  is  entirely  too  dark  for  3'our  sam- 
ple, rinse  off  the  starch  in  cold  water ;  pass  feathers 
through  a  solution  of  a  half  teaspoonful  of  oxalic  acid 
in  a  gallon  of  hot  water  for  a  few  seconds ;  then  rinse 
in  hot  water  twice  to  remove  the  acid,  after  which  pre- 
pare a  fresh  bath  as  per  recipe,  using  more  care,  and 
keep  in  until  desired  result  is  obtained. 


PLUM. 


Feathers  that  are  any  color  excepting  dark  green  or 
black  can  be  dyed  a  beautiful  shade  of  plum.  Wash 
and  rinse  your  goods,  and  prepare  your  bath  as  follows : 
one  pound  of  logwood  to  a  gallon  or  more  of  water,  and 


30  OSTRICU    FEATHER   DYELNO. 

l)oil  fifteen  minutes  or  longer)  then  add  to  bath  about  a 
quarter  pound  of  extract  of  archil,  and  enter  your 
feathers,  letting  them  remain  in  bath  about  five  minutes, 
after  which  take  them  out  and  rinse  in  cold  watir. 
Prepare  a  bath  of  half  an  ounce  of  bichromate  of  pot- 
ash in  a  ghllon  of  boiling  water,  more  or  less,  and  see 
that  it  is  thoroughl3' dissolved  ;  pass  feathers  through 
about  ten  seconds;  then  take  them  out  and  rinse  twice 
in  clear  cold  water;  then  dilute  a  small  handful  of 
starch  in  a  half  gallon  of  hike  warm  water,  and  add  to 
it  about  half  an  ounce  of  soda;  pass  feathers  through 
for  alK)ut  half  a  minute  and  dry. 

Should  color  be  found  too  light  for  sample,  rinse  off 
starch  in  cold  water,  and  repeat  bichromate  of  potash 
bath  ;  rinse,  starch  and  dry.  An  old  logwood  bath  that 
has  been  used  for  other  colors  will  answer  for  plum,  and 
save  boiling  up  a  fresh  bath. 


OLIVE. 


If  your  feathers  to  be  dyed  are  very  dark  colors, 
such  as  brown,  navy  blue,  green,  garnet,  etc.,  draw  off 
some  of  the  color  by  passing  through  a  solution  of  boil- 
ing water  and  half  an  ounce  of  soda,  and  rinse  in  boil- 
ing water  twice.     Prepare  bath  by  diluting  two  ounces 


OSTRICH  FEATHER  DYEING.  37 

of  turmeric  in  about  one  gallon  of  water.  Enter  feath- 
ers and  let  them  remain  in  about  two  minutes, — a  longer 
lime  will  not  hurt ;  after  which  take  them  out  and  rinse 
in  cold  water  twice.  Have  a  medium  strong  bath  of 
logwood  boiling  meantime,  and  enter  your  feathers,  let- 
ting them  remain  in  about  two  minutes ;  then  take  them 
out  and  rinse  in  cold  water.  Prepare  a  bath  of  one 
gallon  of  boiling  water  and  half  an  ounce  of  bichromate 
of  potash,  and  after  it  is  thoroughly  dissolved,  enter 
your  feathers  and  let  them  remain  in  about  one  minute, 
longer  if  a  very  dark  shade  be  required.  Take  out  and 
rinse,  after  which  your  feathers  will  have  assumed  a 
dark,  dull  olive,  looking  not  unlike  a  faded  out  black. 
Next  prepare  a  bath  of  two  ounces  of  turmeric  with 
about  one  gallon  of  boiling  water,  and  add  thereto  a 
small  pinch  of  green  aniline,  just  enough  to  give  j^our 
bath  the  appearance  of  being  a  couple  of  shades  more 
on  the  green  than  the  sample  to  be  matched.  Enter 
your  feathers  and  let  them  remain  in  about  three  min- 
utes ;  first,  however,  bringing  your  bath  to  a  boil,  after 
which  take  feathers  out  and  rinse,  starch  and  dry. 

If  feathers  be  found  darker  than  sample  to  be 
matched,  a  few  drops  of  diluted  oxalic  acid  in  3'our 
starch  bath  will  bring  the  shade  down ;  and  if  found 
lighter  than  sample,  rinse  the  starch  off  thoroughly  in 


38  OSTRlCil   FEATHER   DYEING. 

cold  water,  and  dilute  a  quarter  ounce  of  bichromate  of 
potash  in  a  gallon  of  boiling  water,  and  pass  your  feath- 
ers through  for  a  few  seconds.  If  wanted  a  very  dark 
shade,  they  should,  after  having  the  starch  rinsed  off,  be 
returned  to  the  logwood  bath,  then  rinsed  and  give  the 
bichromate  of  potash  bath  as  above.  If  found  a  little 
too  much  on  the  green  for  sample,  a  weak  bath  of  tur- 
meric, similar  to  the  first  bath  of  the  operation  will 
have  the  desired  effect.  There  are  also  some  shades  of 
olive  where  it  will  not  be  found  necessary  to  use  any 
green  at  all ;  that  is  when  the  shade  approaches  t_e 
brown  on  the  olive. 


LAVENDER. 

Feathers  for  lavender  must  be  white,  or  nearly  so,  if 
you  desire  a  good  clear  shade.  All  light  colors  can  be 
used  by  first  bleaching  with  permanganate  of  potash,  or 
if  only  dirty  white  feathers,  wash  and  rinse  them  thor- 
oughly. Prepare  bath  of  hike  warm  water  and  a  small 
handful  of  starch,  rub  feathers  around  l)ctwecn  the 
hands  to  expand  the  fibres ;  then  add  to  bath  a  few 
drops  of  diluted  violet.  Enter  your  feathers  and  let 
remain  about  one  minute  in  bath,  keeping  them  mean- 
while in  motion ;    take   out  your  feathers  and  add  to 


OSTRICn   FEATHER    DYEING.  39 

bath  a  drop  of  diluted  safranine ;  re-enter  and  raise 
temperature  of  bath  a  few  degrees  by  addition  of  hot 
water ;  let  your  feathers  remain  about  half  a  minute 
in  bath ;  if  wanted  darker,  add  a  few  drops  of  diluted 
violet,  and  if  lighter,  less ;  after  which  take  out  your 
feathers  and  dry  them  in  the  usual  way,  being  careful 
to  use  clean  starch  for  drying.  To  use  starch  that  had 
previously  been  used  to  dry  light  colors  that  contained 
areid,  would  most  likely  result  in  spotting  your  color, 
as  the  application  of  acid  to  any  portion  of  the  delicate 
color  would  turn  it  a  greenish  blue.  If  j'our  color  be 
found  too  dark  for  sample,  you  can  either  wash  in  a  so- 
lution of  soap  water,  or  else  pass  feathers  through  a 
bath  of  a  teaspoonful  of  oxalic  acid  to  a  gallon  of  luke 
warm  water,  after  which  rinse  off  well  and  put  through 
fresh  bath  as  per  recipe. 


OLD    GOLD. 

All  light  colors,  such  as  light  blues,  pinks,  drabs, 
yellows,  etc.,  that  you  are  desirous  of  making  old  gold 
lieed  but  to  be  washed  with  soap  and  hot  water  prior  to 
entering  in  bath.  Prepare  your  bath  with  two  ounces 
of  turmeric  and  one  gallon  of  boiling  water,  more  or 
less  matters  not.     Enter  your  feathers,  and  let  them  re- 


40  OSTKUn    IKATIIEU    DYEIXO. 

main  in  bath  about  two  minutes,  after  which  add  a  small 
pinch  of  copperas,  about  the  size  of  a  bean.  Let  your 
feathers  remain  in  kith  about  one  minute  longer,  alter 
which  take  feathers  from  bath  and  add  thereto  a  few 
drops  of  diluted  Bismarck  brown  ;  let  them  remain  in 
bath  about  one  minute  longer;  take  them  out,  cool  off 
a  small  portion  of  the  bath  with  cold  water,  add  a  small 
handful  of  starch,  pass  your  feathers  through  and  dry. 
If  wanted  a  very  dark  shade  of  gold,  a  few  drops  of 
diluted  logwood  added  to  bath  will  have  the  desired 
effect ;  and  if  wanted  lighter,  a  smaller  quantity  of  cop* 
peras  in  bath. 

If  the  shade  be  found  entirely  too  dark  for  sample, 
a  solution  of  oxalic  acid  in  hike  warm  water  will  draw 
off  a  portion  of  the  color  and  brighten  what  is  left.  If 
wanted  a  very  yellowish  shade  of  gold,  use  more  tur- 
meric, less  cojjperas  and  no  logwood,  and  be  jiurtieuhir 
to  have  your  bath  at  all  times  at  a  boiling  tempera- 
ture. 


GARNET. 

It  is  not  Becessary  to  wash  your  feathers,  except 
they  are  very  dirty  and  greasy.  As  a  rule  all  old  col- 
ors, excepting  greens,  navy  blues  or  blacks,  can  be  used 
for  this  color  without  bleaching.     Prepare  bath  by  boil- 


OSTRICH   FEATHER   DYEING. 


40a 


^^ 


SLATE— page  47. 


GENDARME  BLUE— page  57. 


FELT  DRAB— page  46. 


GARNET— page  40. 


OSTRICH   FEATHER   DYEING.  41 

ing  about  one  pound  of  logwood  to  a  gallon  of  water  or 
more  about  fifteen  minutes ;  strain  off  liquor  from 
■wood;  add  about  two  tablespoon i'u Is  of  extract  of  ar- 
chil, and  bring  again  to  a  boil.  Enter  your  feathers 
and  let  them  remain  in  bath  about  four  or  five  minutes, 
after  which  take  feathers  from  bath,  rinse  twice  in  clean 
cold  water,  and  dilute  a  small  handful  of  starch  in  a 
little  clear  cold  water ;  pass  feathers  through  and  dry 
in  the  usual  way.  Should  your  color  be  found  too  dark 
for  sample  to  be  matched,  dilute  a  couple  of  drops  of 
sulphuric  acid  in  your  starch  bath,  and  pass  feathers 
through  for  a  few  seconds  ;  first,  however,  adding  a  lit- 
tle hot  water  to  increase  temperature. 

If  found  lighter  than  the  desired  shade,  rinse  your 
feathers  thoroughly  in  cold  water  and  dilute  half  an 
ounce  of  bichromate  of  potash  in  about  one  gallon  of 
boiling  water ;  pass  your  feathers  through  for  a  few  sec- 
onds, rinse  thoroughly  and  dry.  Great  care  is  neces- 
sary in  passing  feathers  through  this  chrome  bath,  as 
the  color  will  oxidize  very  rapidly. 

If  your  sample  to  match  be  more  on  the  brown 
shade,  a  very  little  archil,  not  more  than  one-half  the 
prescribed  quantity  must  be  used ;  and  if  more  on  the 
purple  or  plum,  add  more  archil  than  the  quantity 
specified. 


42  OSTRICH    FEATHER    DYEING. 

In  preparing  bath,  when  you  have  added  the  archil, 
be  careful  in  bringing  it  to  boiling  temperature  that  jou 
do  not  allow  it  to  boil  an}'  time,  as  that  would  have  a 
tendency  to  dull  your  color.  By  keeping  this  Iwith 
clean  it  can  be  used  several  times,  in  fact,  it  improves 
with  age;  and,  if  kept  in  a  crock,  so  that  it  will  not 
come  in  contact  with  any  metallic  substance,  and  when 
needed  just  brought  to  boiling  temperature;  and  if 
needed,  a  teaspoonful  of  archil  added  to  it  will  produce 
▼ery  beautiful  shades  of  garnet. 

This  bath  can  l»e  used  to  make  your  plum  colors ; 
and  if  you  have  an  old  Imth  of  logwood  on  hand  it  is 
not  necessary  to  boil  a  fresh  one,  simply  add  the  archil, 
and  bring  to  a  boil. 


TERRA    COTTA. 

If  white  feathers,  wash  and  rinse  them  thoroughly 
with  hot  water,  and  if  faded  out  light  colors,  extract 
color  by  bleaching  with  jK^rmauganute  of  potash  in  the 
usual  wa}' ;  being  careful  to  rinse  well  in  hot  water  to 
remove  all  the  acid  used  in  bleaching  before  entering 
bath.  Prepare  bath  as  follows  :  al>out  a  gallon  of  luke 
warm  water,  and  add  a  small  handful  of  starch.  Enter 
leathers,  rub  around  in  bath  between   tin-  hands,  take 


OSTRICH  FEATHER    DYEING.  43 

out  and  add  a  few  drops  of  diluted  safranine,  and  coi> 
peras  about  the  size  of  a  pea.  Enter  feathers  and  let 
remain  in  bath  about  one  minute;  take  out  and  add 
about  half  a  teaspoonful  of  diluted  aniline  brown ;  re- 
enter feathers  and  let  them  remain  in  about  half  a  min- 
ute longer  ;  after  which  dry  in  the  usual  way.  If  found 
too  pink  for  sample,  add  a  few  drops  more  aniline 
brown,  and  return  to  bath  for  a  few  seconds.  If  found 
too  yellow,  add  a  few  drops  more  of  diluted  safranine, 
and  keep  in  bath  a  few  seconds  longer;  if  wanted 
darker,  add  a  little  more  of  each  color,  and  keep  in  bath 
longer. 


BOTTLE    GREEN. 

After  washing  and  rinsing  feathers  thoroughly,— if 
dirty  or  greasy,  extracting  color  if  necessary,— prepare 
bath  as  follows :  One  ounce  of  turmeric  diluted  in  one 
gallon  of  boiling  water ;  enter  your  feathers  and  let  re- 
main in  about  one  minute,  after  which  take  out  and 
rinse  thoroughly.  Prepare  a  weak  bath  of  logwood, 
about  half  a  pound  to  the  gallon  of  water,  or  about  half 
the  usual  strength  of  an  ordinary  logwood  bath  for 
black;  boil  a  few  minutes,  after  which  enter  your  feath- 
ers and  let  them  remain  in  bath  about  one  minute ;  then 


44  OSTRICH   FEATHER  DYEING. 

take  out  and  rinse  thoroughly  in  cold  water;  alUr 
which  prepare  a  bath  of  half  an  ounce  of  bichromate  of 
potash  to  one  gallon  of  boiling  water.  Dissolve  bi- 
chromate of  potash,  enter  feathers  and  let  them  remain 
in  about  half  a  minute ;  a  little  longer  if  a  very  dark 
shade  be  required,  and  so  much  less  time  if  a  very  light 
shade  is  required  ;  after  which  take  feathers  out  and 
rinse  thoroughl}'  in  cold  water.  Dilute  about  one-half  a 
teaspoonful  of  aniline  green  in  a  gallon  of  boiling  water, 
and  reduce  temperature  of  bath  a  few  degrees  with  cold 
water  •  then  enter  feathers  and  let  them  remain  in  bath 
about  two  or  three  minutes  ;  remove  feathers  and  cool 
oil  a  small  portion  of  the  bath  with  cold  water,  and  add 
to  it  a  small  handful  of  starch ;  pass  your  feathers 
through  the  bath,  squeeze  out  and  dry  off  in  the  usual 
way. 

If  found  to  be  lighter  than  shade  desired,  rinse  off 
starch  thoroughly,  and  return  for  a  few  seconds  to  log- 
wood bath  without  increasing  temperature  any ;  then 
rinse  off  in  cold  water,  and  pass  through  a  weak  solu- 
tion of  bichromate  of  potash,  about  one-quarter  ounce 
to  a  gallon ;  after  which  rinse,  starch  and  dry. 

If  found  darker  than  shade  desired,  pass  feathers 
through  a  solution  of  half  a  teaspoonful  of  oxalic  acid 
in  about  one  gallon  of  luke  warm  water  for  about  thirty 


OSTRICH  FEATHEE   DYEING.  45 

seconds ;  take  them  out  of  this  and  rinse  twice  throuo-h 
boiling  water,  and  then  give  a  wealc  bath  of  aniline 
green,— about  half  the  strength  of  the  first  bath.  If 
samples  to  be  matched  be  more  on  the  yellow  or  olive, 
use  decidedly  more  turmeric  in  the  first  bath,  and  add 
a  little,  say  about  a  teaspoonful,  to  the  aniline  green 
bath.  If  a  green  on  the  blue,  it  will  be  necessary  to 
use  only  one-half  the  turmeric  prescribed  in  the  first 
bath. 


STEEL    COLOR. 

All  light  colors  can  be  used  to  make  a  good  shade  of 
steel  by  first  extracting  colors  by  the  usual  process  of 
bleaching  with  permanganate  of  potash  ;  if  white  and 
dirty,  wash  thoroughly  in  hot  water  and  soap  and  rinse. 
Prepare  your  bath  as  follows :  To  one  gallon  of  luke 
warm  water  add  a  small  handful  of  starch  ;  enter  your 
feathers,  rub  them  around  well  in  bath  ;  after  which  add 
a  small  pinch  of  copperas  and  about  a  tablespoonful  of 
logwood  liquor,  and  let  remain  in  about  one  minute ;  in- 
crease temperature  of  bath  and  add  a  few  drops  of  di- 
luted violet,  first  removing  your  feathers  from  bath  ;  re- 
enter feathers  and  let  remain  about  one  minute,  or  until 
your  feathers  look  about  four  bhades  darker  than  sam- 
ple ;  after  which  take  out  and  dry. 


46  OSTRICH   FEATIIER  DYEIXO. 

If  found  too  ligbt,  return  to  bath  and  add  more  log* 
wood  liquor  and  a  few  drops  more  violet,  and  should 
you  find  them  altogether  too  dark  for  sample,  extract 
your  color  by  passing  them  through  a  solution  of  one 
teaspoonful  of  oxalic  acid  in  a  gallon  of  hot  water; 
after  which  rinse  them  off  by  passing  them  through  a 
gallon  of  boiling  water  about  twice,  when  30U  will  find 
30ur  color  reduced  four  or  five  shades.  The  oxalic  acid 
renders  the  feathers  a  bright  yellow. 

Boiling  water  will  draw  off  the  logwood  and  bring 
out  30ur  shade  of  drab  in  as  much  milder  form ;  then 
proceed  to  mix  a  new  drab  bath  the  same  as  |>er  recipe, 
onl}-  using  more  caution  not  to  get  it  too  dark;  enter 
feathers,  bring  to  shade,  using  a  drop  of  violet  to 
brighten  up  color.  Be  careful  in  drying  not  to  use 
starch  that  has  previously  been  used  on  a  color  where 
iicid  was  used  to  develop. 


FELT   DRAB. 

Prepare  feathers  by  washing  and  rinsing  thoroughly, 
or  bleaching  if  needed;  after  which  mix  a  bath  of  hike 
warm  water  and  starch.  Enter  feathers  and  manipulate 
in  bath  a  few  seconds  l)etween  the  hands ;  after  which 
add  a  small  quantity  ol  copperas,  about  the   size  of  a 


OSTRICH   FEATHER   DYEIXG. 


46a 


OSTRICH   FEATHER    DYEING.  47 

pea.  Enter  feathers  and  let  them  remain  in  about  half 
a  minute  ;  take  out  feathers  and  add  a  few  drops  of  log- 
wood liquor ;  re-enter  feathers  and  let  them  remain  in 
about  half  a  minute ;  add  to  bath  about  a  drop  of  di- 
luted safranine,  and  if  shade  be  wanted  a  little  on  the 
yellow,  a  drop  of  diluted  Bismarck  brown  can  be  added. 
Allow  feathers  to  remain  in  until  they  look  about  three 
shades  darker  than  sample ;  then  take  out  and  dry  as 
usual.  If  found  either  too  dark  or  too  light,  treat  pre- 
cisely as  preceding  color  (steel).  Be  careful  not  to  use 
starch  that  has  been  used  for  an  acid  color. 


SLATE   COLOR. 

To  make  this  color  all  light  colors  can  be  used  and 
some  dark  onesj  only  those,  however,  that  do  not  con- 
tain much  yellow,  as,  for  example,  blues,  reds,  etc. 
After  preparing  for  bath  by  washing  and  rinsing,  or  by 
extracting  color  if  necessary,  mix  a  bath  of  logwood, 
about  half  the  usual  strength,  and  enter  feathers,  Bath 
must  be  at  boiling  temperature,  and  let  them  remain  in 
about  one  minute ;  after  which  take  out  and  rinse. 
Proceed  to  mix  a  bath  of  one  quarter  ounce  of  copperas 
and  one  gallon  of  boiling  water ;  enter  feathers  and  let 
them  remain  in  bath  about  halt  a  minute ;  take  out  and 


48  08TRICU    KEATIIEK    DYEING. 

cool  off  a  small  portion  of  the  bath,  add  starch  and  paM 
feathers  through,  squeeze  out  and  dry. 

If  the  color  to  be  matched  be  very  dark,  repeat  the 
bath  of  logwood  and  mix  a  bath  of  one-quarter  ounce 
of  bichromate  of  potash  in  a  gallon  of  boiling  water. 
Enter  feathers  and  let  remain  in  about  half  a  minute  ; 
after  which  rinse  off  in  cold  water,  and  starch  and  dry. 
If  a  ver}'  brilliant  shade  be  requireil.  when  you  have 
rinsed  feathers  from  l)ichromate  of  potash  bath,  wash 
thoroughly  in  soap-suds  and  rinse  in  luke  warm  water. 
Dilute  a  small  quantity  of  starch  in  cold  water,  {lass 
feathers  through  and  dry.  The  above  recipe  produces 
&  most  beautiful  shade  of  slate  color,  perfectly  fast  to 
light,  and  the  depth  of  shade  is  regulated  by  the  quan- 
tity of  logwood.  Should  you  find  your  color  altogether 
too  dark  for  sample,  proceed  to  extract  by  passing 
through  a  solution  of  one  tcaspoonful  of  oxalic  acid  to 
one  gallon  of  l)oiling  water  for  about  half  a  minute,  and 
then  rinsing  off  twice  or  three  times  in  boiling  water; 
after  which  repeat  in  a  milder  form. 


ORANGE   COLOR. 

Prepare  feathers  by  washing  and  rinsing  thoroughly. 
Prepare  bath  by  diluting  about  two  ounces  of  turmeric 


OSTRICH   FEATHER   DYEING.  49 

in  a  gallon  of  boiling  water,  and  enter  your  feathers, 
letting  them  remain  in  bath  about  two  minutes  ;  then 
take  them  out  and  add  a  few  drops  of  diluted  Bismarck 
brown  and  about  a  teaspoon  ful  of  oxalic  acid  ;  re-enter 
your  feathers  and  bring  bath  to  a  boil,  and  let  remain  in 
about  three  minutes  ;  after  which  take  out,  and  cool  otf 
a  small  quantity  of  bath,  add  a  small  handful  of  starch, 
pass  feathers  through  and  dry. 

Should  you  desire  a  very  full  dark  shade,  use  about 
twice  the  amount  of  turmeric,  add  a  few  drops  more 
Bismarck  brown  ;  and  if  wanted  much  lighter,  use  less 
of  each  color.  If  wanted  more  yellow,  use  very  small 
quantity  of  Bismarck  brown ;  and  if  a  vei'y  reddish 
shade  of  orange,  a  little  more  Bismarck  brown  than 
amount  prescribed  in  recipe. 

There  are  numerous  orange  anilines  in  the  market 
that  are  used  successfully  in  dyeing  shades  of  orange, 
but  it  is  almost  necessary  to  have  a  different  shade  of 
aniline  for  every  shade  of  color  made.  Should  your 
sample  to  be  matched  be  rather  dull,  use  no  oxalic  acid 
in  bath,  as  the  oxalic  acid  is  used  in  developing  and 
brightening  the  shade.  To  remove  the  color,  should  it 
be  too  dark,  the  first  method  is  to  wash  well  in  soap 
water,  rinse  and  pass  through  a  solution  of  oxalic  acid 
in  warm  water,  about  half  an  ounce  to  the  gallon. 


60  OSTRICU   FEATHER  DYEINO. 

SCARLET. 

Wash  and  rinse  your  feathers  thoroughly,  and  if  re- 
quired to  remove  a  surplus  ol  any  old  color,  pass 
through  a  bath  of  permanganate  of  potash,  as  per 
recipe;  after  which  prepare  a  bath  of  half  a  tcaspoonful 
of  oxalic  acid  to  one  gallon  of  boiling  water  and  al>out 
a  teasnoonful  of  turmeric  ;  enter  feathers  and  let  them 
remain  in  bath  about  halt  a  minute,  after  which  take 
them  out  and  add  to  bath  about  half  a  tcaspoonful  of 
rocceline;  dissolve  powder  thoroughly,  and  return  to 
bath;  let  them  remain  in  about  one  minute  longer,  then 
cool  off  a  small  quantity  of  the  bath  and  add  a  small 
handful  of  starch;  pass  3'our  feathers  through,  squeeze 
out  and  dry  as  usual. 

If  wanted  a  verj'  dark  shade,  add  a  little  more  roc- 
celine and  let  remain  lonjicr  in  bath.  If  shade  be  a 
little  on  the  orange,  use  more  turmeric  and  less  roccel- 
ine: and  if  more  on  the  cardinal,  vice  versa.  Should 
you,  through  carelessness,  get  your  color  too  dark,  to 
remove  color  rinse  off  and  wash  thoroughly  in  a  soap 
bath,  and  rinse  off  in  l)oiling  water  about  twice,  which 
will  have  the  effect  of  reducing  the  color  several  shades  ; 
mix  a  new  bath  as  per  recipe,  and  enter  feathers,  using 
more  care  and  judgment  and  proceed  to  starch  and  dry 
as  called  for  in  recipe. 


OSTRICH    FEATHER  DYEING.  51 

MAROON. 

Almost  any  odd  shades  of  color  can  be  used  without 
extracting  colors,  but  if  dirty  or  greasy,  it  is  always 
best  to  wash  thoroughly  and  rinse.  Take  your  old  log- 
wood bath  that  has  been  used  for  black  and  other  col- 
ors, or  else  boil  a  fresh  bath  of  the  same  proportions, 
about  a  pound  to  the  gallon.  When  at  boiling  temper- 
ature add  thereto  a  half  cupful  of  extract  of  archil,  first 
removing  the  grounds  of  logwood  from  the  bath ;  then 
enter  your  feathers  and  let  them  remain  in  the  batL 
about  four  or  five  minutes  ;  take  them  out  and  rinse 
thoroughly  in  cold  water,  and  prepare  a  bath  of  one- 
half  ounce  of  bichromate  of  potash  to  a  gallon  of  boil- 
ing water,  and  thoroughl}^  dissolve  potash  ;  after  which 
pass  your  goods  through  for  a  few  seconds  only,  and 
take  out  and  rinse  twice  in  cold  water ;  dilute  a  small 
handful  of  starch  in  clean  cold  water,  pass  feathers 
through  and  dry. 

Should  a  very  dark  shade  be  required,  allow  your 
feathers  to  remain  in  bichromate  of  potash  bath  a  few 
seconds  longer ;  take  out  and  dry.  Should  you  find 
3'our  color  too  dark  for  sample,  it  is  onl}'  necessary  to 
add  to  your  starch  bath  a  few  drops  of  sulphuric  acid, 
and  add  a  small  quantity  of  hot  water  to  increase  tem- 


62  OSTUICU   FEATIIEK   DYEING. 

perature  a  few  degrees,  and  pass  feathers  through. 
This  bath,  same  as  the  garnet,  can  be  used  again,  and 
improves  with  age  if  kept  in  a  clean  place.  If  you 
ha\"e  an  old  gr.met  bath  on  hand,  it  will  answer  for  ma- 
roon by  bringing  to  a  boil  and  adding  about  a  teaspoon- 
ful  more  extract  of  archil  to  it. 


LEMON   COLOR. 

Wash  and  rinse  ^our  feathers  thoroughl}'  if  dirty 
whites ;  if  old  faded  out  light  colors,  bleach  with  per- 
manganate of  potash ;  after  which  prepare  bath  as  fol- 
lows: One  gallon  oi  luke  warm  water  and  a  handful  of 
starch  ;  enter  3'our  feathers  and  rub  around  between  the 
hands  for  a  few  seconds  ;  then  add  to  bath  a  teas{)oon> 
ful  of  oxalic  acid,  and  dilute  about  a  tablespoonful  of 
turmeric  in  a  small  quantity  of  water,  and  add  a  few 
drops  of  the  liquor  to  the  Iwith  ;  re-enter  jour  feathers 
and  let  them  remain  in  about  one  minute  or  so ;  after 
which  take  them  out  and  add  a  droji  of  diluted  indigo 
blue;  return  feAtlicrs  to  bath  and  allow  them  to  remain 
about  one  mivlte  longer  in  bath,  after  i^liirli  take  out, 
squeeze  and  dry  usual. 

If  a  deep  rich  shade  be  desired,  and  you  have  no 
sample  to  match,  use  no  indigo   in   the   bath.     Another 


OSTRICH  FEATHER   DYEIXG.  53 

excellent  iKethod  of  making  lemon  is  to  substitute  an 
equal  amount  of  picric  acid  for  turmeric  ;  and, 
should  you  find  your  color  entirely  too  dark  for 
your  sample,  rinse  off  your  feathers  in  luke  warm  water, 
and  proceed  to  wash  with  soap  and  hot  water,  and  rinse 
thoroughly  in  boiling  water ;  then  prepare  a  fresh  bath 
as  per  recipe,  and  enter  your  feathers,  using  much  care. 
If  found  too  light  for  your  sample,  add  to  bath  a  little 
more  turmeric  liquor,  and  return  feathers  to  bath  for  a 
few  seconds  longer,  and  dry. 


BLACK. 


The  most  staple  and  important  of  all  the  colors. 
Some  will  argue  that  it  is  not  a  color ;  I,  to  the  con- 
trary, however,  that  it  is  not  only  a  color,  but  a  combi- 
nation of  colors,  and  it  is  the  knowledge  of  how  to 
properly  combine  them  that  results  in  the  production  of 
a  very  handsome  and  glossy  black  Twelve  years  ago 
a  bath  of  black  that  was  commenced  on  Monday  and 
was  ready  to  go  into  the  drying-room  by  Saturday  was 
considered  at  that  time  a  most  expeditious  piece  of 
work ;  and,  even  up  to  the  presert  time,  some  of  our 
old  orthodox  dyers, — those  old  chronic,  methodical 
dyers, — those  who  dye  according  to  the  most  approved 


64  OSTniCII    KEATllEK    DYEING. 

and  adviintageoU3  methods  of  half  a  century  a^e, — still 
continue  to  occupy  the  greater  i)art  of  a  week  in  get- 
ling  a  black  on  what  (by  that  time)  is  left  of  the  feath- 
ers. Their  object  from  the  start  is  to  produce  a  black, 
and  they  gencrall}'  succeed. 

Begin,  if  raw  stock,  b}'  washing  and  rinsing  thor- 
oughly in  order  to  remove  all  natural  grease  and  dirt 
adhering  to  the  fibre.  If  they  are  old  colors  to  be  re- 
dyed  a  black,  it  is  not  necessary  to  wash  them  nor  to 
bleach  them  for  the  purpose  of  removing  any  of  the 
color,  as  the  black  bath  will  overcome  all  the  other 
colors ;  as,  for  example,  a  navy  blue,  a  bottle  green, 
garnet,  etc.,  can  be  all  entered  at  the  same  time, and  put 
through  precisely  the  same  process,  and  they  will  all 
be  the  same  shade  of  black  when  the}'  are  dried. 

Prepare  bath  by  diluting  a  quarter  pound  of  tur- 
meric in  a  gallon  of  boiling  w:jter  and  bring  to  a  boil ; 
after  which  enter  your  feathers,  and  let  remain  in  bath 
about  five  minutes,  keeping  them  well  under  the  surface, 
and  gently  moving  while  in  bath ;  after  which  take 
feathers  out  and  rinse  twice  in  clear  cold  water.  Mean- 
time dilute  one  pound  of  logwood  in  about  one  and  a 
hall  gallons  of  boiling  Avater,  and  boil  for  al>out  fifteen 
minutes ;  after  which  enter  your  feathers  and  let  them 
remain  in  bath  about  four  minutes;  then  take  out  and 


OSTRICH   FEATHER    DYEING.  55 

rinse  thoroughly  in  two  waters.  Dilute  one  ounce  cf 
bichromate  of  potash  in  one  gallon^  more  or  less,  of 
boiling  water,  enough  to  completely  cover  up  your 
feathers,  dissolving  bichromate  of  potash  thoroughly. 
Enter  your  feathers,  let  them  remain  in  bath  about 
three  minutes ;  after  which  take  them  out  and  rinse 
thoroughly.  Meantime  have  logwood  bath  boiling,  and 
return  feathers  to  it.  Cover  up,  and  let  them  remain 
about  eight  minutes;  take  out  and  rinse  twice  as  be- 
fore. After  rinsing,  prepare  a  bath  of  about  half  an 
ounce  ^f  bichromate  of  potash  and  salts  of  tarjar  about 
the  size  of  a  pea  in  a  gallon  of  boiling  water ;  dissolve 
thoroughly.  Let  them  remain  in  bath  about  three  min- 
utes ;  after  which  take  out  and  rinse  thoroughly  in  cold 
water.  Then  mix  a  bath  of  hot  soap-s_uds,  and  enter 
feathers  ;  wash  well  and  rinse  in  luke  warm  water. 

The  washing  and  rinsing  is  not  absolutely  necessary, 
in  fact,  it  can  not  much  improve  what  is  already  a  clean, 
glossy  black.  Washing,  however,  if  productive  of  a 
change  at  all,  must  be  beneficial.  Then  proceed  to  mix 
a  small  handful  of  starch  in  a  small  quantity  of  cold 
water;  pass  feathers  through  and  dry.  While  your 
feathers  are  in  the  bichromate  of  potash  bath,  they 
must  be  kept  moving  in  bath  constantly  and  well  under 
the  surface.     There  is  nothing  to  be  added  to  make  a 


56  OSTRICH    FEATHER   DYEIXO. 

successful  result,  except  it  be  to  caution  you  to  adhere 
as  strictly  as  possible  to  the  recipe. 

It  often  occurs  that  feathers  are  brought  in  to  be 
dipped  over  that  have  faded  out,  or  have  grown  rusty 
looking  from  exposure  to  light  and  long  wear.  The 
color  can  be  restored  by  simply  passing  them  through 
the  last  two  baths  for  the  same  length  of  time  that  is 
allotted  to  the  regular  recipe.  During  the  process  of 
drying  black  be  sure  to  have  the  starch  beaten  out  as 
fast  as  it  dries.  It  is  best  to  dry  them  in  the  open  air, 
and,  if  possible,  allow  them  to  hang  in  the  sun  for  a 
while,  as  it  improves  the  color.  One  esjiecial  advantage 
this  black  has  over  most  others,  is  that  it  improves  with 
age;  and,  instead  of  fading,  the  black  will  grow  more 
intense. 


LILAC. 


Wash  and  rinse  thoroughly  in  hot  soap  water,  and 
rinse  in  about  four  waters  to  remove  any  particle  of 
soap  that  may  adhere  to  the  feathers;  next  prepare 
balli  of  one  gallon  of  hand  warm  water,  and  add  a 
handful  of  starch.  Enter  feathers  and  rub  thoroughly 
between  the  hands ;  remove  and  add  to  bath  a  few 
drops  of  diluted  violet,  according   to   shade   required ; 


OSTRICH  FEATHER  DYEENTG.  67 

add  about  two  drops  of  diluted  saffranine,  and  re-enter 
feathers,  let  remain  in  Lath  about  three  minutes, 
squeeze  out  and  dry  in  powdered  starch  in  the  usual 
way.  Be  sure  your  starch  is  clean  and  free  from  acid, 
and  also  that  j'our  board  is  in  the  same  condition. 
Great  care  should  be  exercised  to  see  that  every  parti- 
cle of  the  violet  is  dissolved  to  avoid  spots  on  the 
feathers.  Should  quite  a  bluish  shade  be  desired,  a 
drop  of  diluted  aniline  green  added  will  produce  the 
desired  result. 


GENDARME   BLUE. 

Prepare  feathers  by  washing  thoroughly,  and  rinse 
about  four  times  in  hot  water  to  remove  any  particle  of 
soap  that  may  adhere  to  the  feathers.  Prepare  a  bath 
of  a  teaspoonful  of  indigotine  powder  to  one  gallon  of 
boiling  water.  Mix  thoroughly  and  enter  feathers,  and 
let  remain  in  about  one  minute,  after  which  remove  and 
add  about  one  teaspoonful  of  oxalic  acid  or  same  quan- 
tity of  sulphuric  acid,  and  re-enter  feathers,  letting 
them  remain  in  bath  about  five  minutes  longer ;  then 
remove  from  bath  and  cool  off.  Reserve  a  small  por- 
tion of  bath,  and  cool  off  with  cold  water,  adding  a 
drop  of  sulphuric  acid  and  a  small   handful  of  starch ; 


58  OSTRICH    FEATIIEK    DYEING. 

pass  feathers  through  ami  dry  in  powdered  starch  bj 
rubbing  between  the  hands  or  by  simply  beating  out  on 
a  clean  board,  used  only  for  drying  acid  colors. 

Should  you  find  your  color  too  dark,  thoroughly 
rinse  off  all  the  starch  and  pass  feathers  through  a  bath 
of  boiling  water  and  let  remain  about  half  a  minute ; 
pass  through  starch  bath  and  dry.  If  found  too  light, 
slmpl}'  increase  temperature  of  bath  by  adding  boiling 
water  and  few  drops  more  indigotinc  ;  re-enter  feathers 
and  let  them  remain  in  bath  a  coupJl  of  minutes 
longer. 


TRILUEL. 

Wash  and  rinse  feathers  thoroughly  in  hot  water 
and  soap,  and  rinse  thoroughly  in  about  four  hot 
waters;  then  pass  through  a  bath  of  plain  boiling 
water ;  next  prepare  a  bath  of  one  gallon  of  luke  warm 
water,  and  add  a  handful  of  starch.  Enter  feathers 
and  rub  thoroughly  between  the  hands;  remove  and 
add  a  teaspoonful  of  oxalic  acid  ;  enter  feathers  and  let 
them  remain  in  bath  al)out  two  rainutesj  then  remove 
and  add  to  bath  a  few  drops  of  diluted  picric  acid, 
and  reycnter  feathers  ;  let  remain  in  about  one 
minute  longer,  take  out  and  dry  in  the  usual  way  by 


OSTRICH    FEATIIEK    DYEIXG. 


58a 


OXIVE— page  36. 


%    *i 


I 


TERRA  COTTA— page. 


PLAIN.  DRAB— page  78. 


OSTRICH  FEATHEE  DYEING.  59 

rubbing  in  powdered  starch  between  the  hands  and 
beating  out  on  a  clean  board  until  all  the  starch  has 
been  removed  from  the  fibre.  Should  you  find  your 
color  a  shade  too  dark,  mix  a  luke  warm  starch  bath, 
and  pass  feathers  through,  keeping  them  under  about 
half  a  minute,  and  dry  as  usual.  Be  careful  that  your 
picric  acid  is  thoroughly  dissolved,  as  otherwise  it  will 
be  likely  to  spot  your  feathers,  if  the  particles  come  in 
contact  with  the  flues,  and  the  spots  are  very  hard  to 
remove,  as  it  would  be  necessary  to  put  them  through  a 
bleaching  process. 


ARMY  BLUE. 

Prepare  feathers  by  washing  and  rinsing  thoroughly 
in  hot  water.  Be  careful  about  rinsing  to  remove  every 
particle  of  soap  that  may  adhere  to  the  fibre,  after 
which  prepare  bath  as  follows  :  One  teaspoonful  of  in- 
digotine  powder,  diluted  in  one  gallon  of  boiling  water, 
and  add  thereto  about  halt  a  teaspoonful  of  oxalic  acid, 
stirring  around  well  to  thoroughly  dissolve  every  parti- 
cle of  color.  Enter  feathers  and  let  them  remain  in 
bath  about  four  minutes ;  after  which  take  out  and  rinse 
in  luke  warm  water  to  remove  the  acid  in  feathers  ; 
next  prepare  a  bath  of  one  gallon  of  hand  warm  water 


60  OSTKICIl    FEATUER    DYEING. 

and  add  a  Bmall  handful  of  starch  ;  add  thereto  a  cupful 
of  boiled  logwood  liquor  and  a  few  grains  of  copperas, 
enter  feathers,  let  remain  in  bath  about  three  minutes ; 
take  out  and  dry  by  rubbing  between  the  hands  in  i)ow- 
dered  starch,  and  beat  out  on  a  clean  board  until  all  the 
starch  has  been  removed.  Should  you  find  your  color 
darker  than  shade  required,  prepare  a  bath  of  half  a 
teaspoonful  of  oxalic  acid  in  a  gallon  of  hahd  warm 
water,  and  pass  feathers  through  about  half  a  minute  ; 
take  out  and  pass  through  boiling  water,  after  which 
pass  through  starch  bath  and  dr}'.  Should  you  find 
shade  too  light,  add  more  logwood  to  bath,  increase 
temperature,  let  remain  in  a  couple  of  minutes  longer 
and  diy. 


PURPLE. 


Prepare  feathers  by  washing  in  hot  water  and  soap 
thoroughly,  and  afterwards  rinse  in  about  four  hot 
waters  to  remove  evtry  particle  of  soap  and  dirt;  after 
which  prepare  bath  as  follows  :  Take  one  gallon  of  water 
about  200<*Fah. ;  dilute  therein  half  a  teaspoonful  of 
Yiolet  3  B.,  stirring  it  around  thoroughly  to  dissolve 
every  particle.  Enter  your  feathers  and  let  remain 
about  five  minutes  ;  after  which  take  out  and  pour  out 


OSTRICH  FEATHEIi   DYEING.  61 

the  bath,  reserving  some,  and  cooling  it  off  with  cold, 
clean  water,  .add  a  small  handful  of  starch  and  pass 
feathers  through,  first  cooling  them  off  by  shaking 
them  in  the  air ;  rub  them  between  the  hands  in  starch 
bath  to  aid  the  flue  or  fibre  to  expand ;  after  which 
squeeze  out  and  rub  thoroughly  between  the  hands,  and 
beat  out  on  a  clean  board  until  every  particle  of  starch 
has  been  removed.  Should  you  find  the  top  or  tips  a 
darker  shade  than  the  bottom,  or  should  they  bronze  or 
assume  a  metallic  appearance,  pass  feathers  through  a 
bowl  of  boiling  water  with  a  small  pinch  of  soda  added, 
and  rinse  ;  after  which  pass  through  a  new  starch  bath 
with  a  few  drops  of  diluted  violet  added  ;  take  out  and 
dry. 


MEDIUM  GREEN. 

Prepare  your  feathers  same  as  for  bottle  green. 
Prepare  bath  by  diluting  about  one  ounce  of  turmeric 
in  a  gallon  of  boiling  water,  and  enter  feathers,  letting 
them  remain  in  bath  about  two  minutes ;  after  which 
take  out  and  rinse  in  cold  water  twice.  Have  boiling  a 
medium  strong  bath  of  logwood,  and  pass  feathers 
through  for  a  few  seconds,  first  cooling  off  temperature 
of  logwood  bath  a  few  degrees  with  cold  water ;  after 


82  OSTRICH   FEATHER  DYEIXO. 

which  rinse  off  thoroughly-,  and  prepare  a  bath  of  a 
quarter  of  an  ounce  of  bichromate  of  potash  in  a  gallon 
of  boiling  water,  dissolve  it  thoroughly,  and  enter 
feathers ;  let  them  remain  in  this  bath  al)Out  ten  sec- 
onds, and  take  them  out  and  rinse  thoroughly  in  cold 
water.  Proceed  to  dilute  one  teaspoonful  of  turmeric 
and  a  half  teaspoonful  of  aniline  green  in  a  gallon  of 
boiling  water,  and  reduce  temperature  a  few  degrees 
with  cold  water.  Enter  your  feathers,  and  let  them  re- 
main in  bath  about  three  minutes ;  then  take  them  out 
and  cool  off  a  small  portion  of  bath,  and  add  a  small 
handful  of  starch,  and  dry  in  the  usual  way. 

If  found  to  be  too  dark,  add  a  few  drops  of  diluted 
oxalic  acid  to  starch  bath,  and  pass  your  feathers 
through  for  a  few  seconds.  If  found  too  light,  rinse  off 
the  starch  in  cold  water  and  return  to  logwood  bath  for 
a  few  seconds,  without  increasing  the  temperature  an}', 
and  rinse  off  and  give  a  weak  bath  of  bichromate  of 
potash,  rinse  off  and  dr}'. 


BEIGE. 

Prepare  your  feathers  by  washing  and  rinsing  thor- 
oughly, or  if  old  light  colors,  bleach  with  permanganate 
of  potash,  being  sure  to  rinse  out  in  hot  water  to  re- 


OSTKICH  FEATHER    DYEIXG.  63 

move  acid  from  feathers,  before  putting  in  bath.  Dilute 
a,  small  quantity  of  starch  in  a  gallon  of  boiling  water, 
and  enter  your  feathers,  rubbing  them  around  in  bath 
between  the  hands  to  expands  the  flues  and  admit  the 
color  evenly  on  feathers.  After  which  add  to  bath  a 
small  pinch  of  copperas,  about  the  size  of  a  bean,  and 
about  a  teaspoonful  of  turmeric,  and  enter  your  feath- 
ers, letting  them  remain  in  bath  about  one  minute; 
take  them  out,  and  add  about  a  teaspoonful  of  logwood 
liquor;  reenter  your  feathers,  and  let  them  remain  in 
bath  about  one  minute,  first  increasing  the  temperature 
by  adding  hot  water ;  after  which  remove  feathers  from 
bath,  and  add  thereto  a  few  drops  of  diluted  Bismarck 
brown.  To  bring  the  ecru  tint  desired,  a  few  seconds 
before  taking  feathers  from  bath  to  dry,  add  a  couple  of 
drops  of  diluted  violet,  squeeze  out  and  dry 

If  a  very  dark  shade  of  beige  is  wanted  use  a 
greater  amount  of  logwood  and  Bismarck  brown,  and  if 
lighter  shade  is  desired,  less  color  should  be  used. 
Should  your  color  be  found  altogether  too  dark  for 
sample,  dilute  about  half  a  teaspoonful  of  oxalic  acid 
in  a  gallon  of  hot  water,  more  or  less.  Pass  your 
feathers  through  for  a  few  seconds,  and  rinse  off  twice 
in  luke  warm  water  and  once  in  boiling  water.  Then 
mix  a  fresh  bath  of  luke  warm  water  and  starch,  and 


04  OS.TUICII    FKATHIIK    DYEING. 

add  thereto  a  small  proportion  of  turmeric  and  diluted 
Bismarck  brown,  and  copperas  about  llie  size  of  a  pea. 
Enter  your  leathers,  and,  using  care,  bring  to  the  de- 
sired shade. 


CORN   COLOR. 

Prepare  feathers  by  washing  and  rinsing  thoroughly 
if  dirty  greasy  whites,  or  bleach  with  permanganate  of 
potash  if  faded  out  light  colors.  Prepare  your  bath  as 
follows  :  Take  one  gallon  of  hike  warm  water  and  di- 
lute therein  a  small  handful  of  starch,  and  rub  your 
feathers  around  between  the  hands.  Add  about  a  half 
teaspoonful  of  turmeric  and  dilute  well  in  bath.  Enter 
your  feathers  and  rub  around  well  between  the  hands. 
Increase  the  temperature  of  your  bath  by  adding  hot 
water,  and  allow  your  feathers  to  remain  in  bath  about 
one  minute ;  then  take  them  out  and  add  a  couple  of 
drops  of  diluted  aniline  brown  ;  re-enter  feathers  and 
let  them  remain  in  bath  about  one  minute  longer;  then 
squeeze  out  and  dry  as  usual. 

If  your  slifide  to  match  be  considerably  on  the  yel- 
low shade,  use  very  little  aniline  brown,  about  one  drop, 
anil  if  more  on  the  brown,  use  less  turmeric.  If  your 
color  be  entirely  too  dark  and  dull   looking,  dilute  half 


OSTRICH  FEATHER  DYEING. 


64a 


NAVY  BLUE— page  81. 


\ 


PEA  GREEN— page  80. 


MAGENTA— pai 


BRONZE— page  74. 


OSTRICH    FEATHER  DYEING.  05 

a  teaspoonful  of  oxalic  acid,  and  pass  featliers  through 
for  a  few  seconds  and  rinse  oS  in  luke  water  water. 
Prepare  a  fresh  bath  and  enter  your  feathers,  as  per  re- 
cipe ;  or,  if  wanted  a  very  bright  shade,  wash  ofi  with 
soap  and  hot  water,  and  rinse  thoroughly  in  hot  water. 
Then  prepare  a  bath  of  one  teaspoonful  of  turmeric, 
one  teaspoonful  of  oxalic  acid  and  one  teaspoonful  of 
diluted  Bismarck  brown  in  a  gallon  of  luke  warm 
water.  Enter  your  feathers  and  keep  in  bath  about  two 
minutes,  add  a  little  starch  to  bath,  and  pass  feathers 
through  for  a  few  seconds  longer,  squeeze  out  and  dry 
in  the  usual  way. 


ELECTRIC   BLUE. 

Feathers  must  be  white,  or  nearly  so,  to  make  a 
good  clear  shade  of  electric  blue.  Prepare  your  feath- 
ers by  washing  with  soap  and  hot  water  if  dirty  whites, 
and  if  old,  faded  light  colors  bleach  with  permanganate 
of  potash.  Prepare  your  bath  as  follows :  Take  half  a 
teaspoonful  of  cotton  blue  and  a  half  teaspoonful  of 
oxalic  acid, — a  little  more  or  less  matters  not, — in  a 
gallon  of  boiling  water.  Enter  your  feathers,  and  let 
them  remain  in  bath  about  five  minutes ;  after  which 
take  out  and  rinse  twice  in  cold  water  and  once  in  hot 


66  OSTKICll    KEATHKIl    DYEING. 

•water  to  remove  all  acid  and  loose  color.  Prepare  a 
bath  of  about  one  cupful  of  logwood  liquor  and  a  small 
pinch  of  copperas  in  a  gallon  of  hot  water,  not  quite 
boiling,  however,  and  pass  feathers  through  for  a  couple 
of  minutes.  Cool  off  a  little  of  your  bath,  and  add  a 
small  handful  of  starch  and  a  few  drops  of  violet,  jmss 
feathers  through  and  dry. 


MEDIUM   BROWN. 

All  light  colors  can  be  made  a  handsome  shade  of 
medium  brown  without  removing  the  color  by  bleach- 
ing or  without  washing,  unless  very  dirty  and  greasy. 
Prepare  your  bath  by  diluting  about  two  ounces  of  tur- 
meric and  a  half  ounce  of  copperas  in  one  gallon,  more 
or  less,  of  boiling  water.  Enter  your  feathers,  keep 
them  well  under  the  surface  of  bath,  and  let  them  re- 
main therein  about  two  niintites;  after  which  take  out, 
rinse  twice  in  cold  water.  Have  boiling  meantime  a 
medium  strong  bath  of  logwood,  about  the  same  pro- 
portion as  for  black;  boil  about  fifteen  minutes,  and 
enter  your  fealhers,  allowini;  them  to  rrmain  in  about 
one  minute;  alter  which  take  out  and  rinse  off  twice  in 
cold  water;  then  dilute  about  a  half  teaspoonful  of  ani- 
line brown   in  a  gallon  of  boiling  water,  and  after  dis- 


OSTRICH  FEATHER  DYEING.  67 

solving  well,  enter  your  feathers,  and  let  them  remain 
in  bath  about  two  minutes ;  take  out  and  rinse  in  cold 
water ;  after  which  dilute  a  small  handful  of  starch  in 
a  small  quantity  of  luke  warm  water,  und  add  to  that 
a  couple  of  drops  of  sulphuric  acid;  pass  feathers 
through  for  a  few  seconds,  squeeze  out  and  dry. 

Should  your  color  be  too  dark  to  match  sample,  re- 
turn to  starch  bath,  add  a  few  drops  of  sulphuric  acid, 
let  feathers  remain  in  abouD  half  a  minute,  and  dry.  If 
a  darker  shade  is  wanted,  it  is  necessary  to  rinse  oflf 
starch  in  cold  water,  and  return  your  feathers  to  log- 
wood bath  for  a  few  seconds,  rinse  oflF  and  repeat  Bis- 
marck brown  bath  as  before.  By  this  process,  with  a 
little  judgment,  all  shades  of  brown  can  be  produced  in 
the  most  satisfactory  manner. 


MEDIUM   BLUE. 

Prepare  your  feathers  by  washing  and  rinsing  thor- 
oughly in  hot  water  ;  light  faded  out  colors  need  not  be 
bleached,  but  thoroughly  washed  in  hot  soap  suds  in- 
stead. Prepare  your  bath  as  follows :  Take  one  tea- 
spoonful  of  concentrated  cotton  blue  and  one  teaspoon- 
ful  of  oxalic  acid,  dilute  it  in  one  gallon  of  boiling 
water.     Be  careful  to  see  that  tlic  blue  crystals  are  well 


68  OSTEICH    FEATHER    DYEING. 

dissolved.  Enter  your  feathers,  and  let  them  remaiu  in 
bath  about  four  minutes,  keeping  them  well  under  the 
surface.  Meantime  keep  them  gently  agitated  to  in- 
sure an  even  color ;  after  which  take  out,  rinse,  starch 
and  dr^'. 

If  your  feathers  be  found  too  dark  for  sample,  or 
too  much  on  the  purple,  rinse  off,  starch  in  cold  water 
thoroughly,  and  pass  through  a  bowl  of  boiling  water, 
starch  and  dry,  using  a  few  grains  of  oxalic  acid  diluted 
in  starch  Jmth. 

If  a  very  light  shade  be  desired,  use  but  half  the 
quantity  of  cotton  blue,  and  do  not  allow  them  to  re- 
main in  bath  quite  so  long  a  time.  If  a  much  darker 
shade  be  required  than  the  foregoing  recipe  will  pro- 
duce, then  rinse  off  your  feathers  thoroughly  in  cold 
water,  to  remove  all  starch,  and  pass  feathers  through 
a  medium  strong  bath  of  logwood  at  boiling  temj^era- 
ture  for  a  few  seconds,  and  rinse  off  twice  in  cold 
water;  dilute  a  half  ounce  of  bichromate  of  potash  in 
a  gallon  of  boiling  water,  and  pass  your  feathers 
through  for  a  few  seconds  only;  rinse,  starch  and  dr}'. 
Should  you  get  your  color  too  dark  by  this  process, 
pass  your  feathers  through  a  solution  of  half  a  tea- 
spoonful  of  oxalic  acid  in  a  gallon  of  boiling  water,  and 
rinse  off  in   boiling  water  twice;   then   dilute   a  small 


OSTRICH  FEATHER  DYEINO.  69 

quantity  of  starch  in  luke  warm  water,  add  a  few  grains 
of  oxalic  acid  to  it,  pass  feathers  through  and  dry  as 
usual. 


MAGENTA. 


Prepare  your  feathers,  whether  dirty  whites  or 
faded  out  light  colors,  by  washing  thoroughly  in  hot 
soap  suds  and  rinsing  well  in  hot  water.  Prepare  your 
bath  as  follows  :  Take  about  a  half  teaspoonful  of  saf- 
ranine  and  dilute  in  one  gallon,  more  or  less,  of  boiling 
water,  and  add  thereto  a  half  tablespoonful  of  extract 
of  archil.  Enter  your  feathers  and  let  them  remain  in 
bath  about  two  minutes;  after  which  take  out  and  add 
to  bath  a  few  drops  of  diluted  violet,  and  re-enter  your 
feathers,  letting  them  remain  in  bath  about  one  minute 
longer.  Then  take  out  and  rinse  in  cold  water,  and  di- 
lute a  small  handful  of  starch  in  bowl  of  luke  warm 
water ;  pass  feathers  through  and  dry. 

If  found  too  red  for  sample,  rinse  off  and  add  to 
bath  a  tablespoonful  of  extract  of  archil ;  return  feath- 
ers to  bath  for  about  one  minute,  first,  however,  in- 
creasing temperature ;  next  rinse,  starch  and  dry. 

If  found  to  be  too  much  on  the  plum  for  sample, 
rinse  off  and  add  to  bath  about  a  quarter  teaspoonful  of 


70  OSTRICH    FEATHER    DYEIKO. 

safranine,  increase  temperature  of  bath  to  almost  boil- 
ing ;  enter  feathers  and  let  tliem  remain  in  batb  about 
one  minute;  after  which  rinse,  starch  and  dry.  If 
found  to  be  too  light,  add  a  few  drops  of  diluted  violet 
to  bath;  and,  if  too  dark,  dilute  a  half  teaspoonful  of 
oxalic  acid  in  one  gallon  of  luke  warm  water,  and  pass 
feathers  through  for  a  few  seconds,  rinse  off  twice  or 
more  in  boiling  water ;  then  prepare  bath  same  as  jier 
recipe,  and  allow  them  to  remain  until  desired  shade  is 
obtained.  ** 


SEA   FOAM. 


This  is  a  very  delicate  shade  of  color  bordering  on 
pea  green.  Your  feathers  must  be  white,  or  nearly  so. 
If  dirty  whites,  wash  and  rinse  thoroughly  ;  and,  if  old 
faded  out  colors,  pass  through  bleach  of  permanganate 
of  potash ;  after  which  prepare  your  bath  of  one  gallon 
of  luke  warm  water  and  a  small  handful  of  starch,  and 
enter  your  feathers,  rubbing  them  around  between  the 
hands.  Take  feathers  from  bath  and  add  about  a  half 
teaspoonful  of  turmeric  ;  re-enter  your  feathers,  keep- 
ing them  moving  around  in  bath  aliout  half  a  minute. 
Then  take  out  your  feathers  and  add  to  l)ath  a  couple 
of  drops  of  diluted  aniline   green.     Re-enter  feathers, 


OSTRICH    FEATUER   DYEIXG. 


(Oa 


OSTRICH  FEATHER   DYEING.  71 

first  increasing  the  temperature  of  your  bath  a  few  de- 
grees by  adding  hot  water,  let  them  remain  in  bath 
about  two  minutes  longer,  squeeze  out  and  dry  in  the 
usual  way. 

Should  your  sample  be  more  on  the  green,  you  will 
simply  add  a  few  drops  more  diluted  aniline  green ; 
and  if  more  on  the  yellow,  you  can  use  less.  If  the 
shade  to  be  matched  be  darker  than  your  feathers,  add 
more  of  each  color  in  the  preparation  of  first  bath.  If 
a  rather  dull  shade  be  desired,  which  in  this  color  is 
quite  frequently  the  case,  a  small  pinch  of  copperas 
about  the  size  of  a  pea  will  have  the  desired  effect. 

Should  you  find  your  color  entirely  too  dark  for 
your  sample,  wash  off  thoroughly  in  soap  suds,  and 
rinse  in  hot  water ;  after  which  dilute  a  half  teaspoon- 
ful  of  oxalic  acid  in  a  gallon  of  luke  warm  water, 
pass  feathers  through  for  a  few  seconds  and  rinse  off  in 
luke  warm  water.  Then  prepare  your  bath  as  per 
recipe,  using  a  little  more  care  and  judgment  in  3'our 
second  attempt. 


SALMON. 


Have  your  feathers  white,  or  nearly  so,  by  washing 
if  dirty,   or   bleaching   with   i^ermanganate   if  needed, 


72  OSTRICU    FEATHEK    DYEING. 

being  careful  to  rinse  thoroughly  for  the  purpose  of  re- 
moving any  acid  or  soap;  after  which  prepare  your 
bath  as  follows  :  Take  one  gallon  of  hike  warm  water 
and  a  small  handful  of  starch.  Enter  your  feathers  and 
rub  around  between  the  hands  for  a  few  seconds  ;  then 
add  to  bath  a  few  drops  of  diluted  safranine  and  cop 
peras  about  the  size  of  a  pea.  Let  your  feathers  re- 
main in  bath  about  one  minute ;  after  which  take  out 
and  add  to  bath  about  one  teaspoonful  of  diluted 
Bismarck  brown,  first  increasing  temperature  of  bath  a 
few  degrees  with  hot  water ;  re-enter  your  feathers  and 
allow  them  to  remain  in  bath  about  a  minute ;  after 
which  squeeze  out  and  dry  in  the  usual  way. 

If  your  sample  to  be  matched  be  more  on  the  pink, 
use  less  aniline  brown  ;  and  if  more  on  the  yellow,  use 
less  safranine  and  more  aniline  brown.  Should  you  de« 
sire  a  much  darker  6ha<lo.  use  more  of  each  color  than 
laid  down  in  recipe,  and  add  a  few  drops  of  logwood 
liquor.  If  your  leathers  be  found  altogether  too  dark 
for  sample,  rinse  off  starch  in  cold  water  and  dilute  a 
half  teaspoonful  of  oxalic  acid  in  hike  warm  water,  and 
pass  your  feathers  through  for  a  few  seconds,  take  out 
and  rinse  a  couple  of  times  in  hot  water  (not  l)oiling). 
Prepare  bath  again  as  per  recipe,  using  greater  care. 
This  shade  of  color  is  on  the  order  of  the  terra  cotta 


OSTRICH  FEATHER   DYELN'G.  73 

and  crushed  strawberry,  and  can  be  made  in  the  same 
bath  by  adding  color  or  diluting.  Be  careful  in  dr3-ing 
to  use  only  clean  starch  and  a  clean  board  that  has  not 
been  used  with  any  acid  colors. 


STONE    COLOR. 

Stone  color  is  a  shade  varying  very  slightly  from 
slate  and  smoke  color.  Ail  light  shades  can  be  used  for 
this  color;  first  preparing  them  by  washing  and  rinsing 
them  thoroughly.  Prepare  a  medium  strong  bath  of 
logwood  by  boiling  for  about  fifteen  minutes;  after 
which  enter  your  feathers,  and  let  them  remain  in  baih 
about  two  or  three  minutes,  longer  if  a  very  dark  shade 
be  required ;  then  take  them  out  and  rinse  in  cold 
water  twice.  Prepare  a  bath  of  half  ounce  of  bichrom- 
ate of  potash  in  one  gallon  of  boiling  water,  and  dis- 
solve thoroughly.  Enter  your  feathers,  and  let  them 
remain  in  bath  about  two  minutes,  keeping  them  well 
under  the  surface  of  bath  and  moving  at  the  same  time, 
to  assist  in  producing  an  even  color;  after  which  t:ike 
out  and  rinse  off  about  three  times  in  cold  water,  mikI 
prepare  a  bath  of  hot  soap  water.  Enter  j-our  feathers, 
and  wash  thorbughly,  adding  to  bath  a  small  pinch  of 
soda;    after  which  rinse  carefully   in  hot   water;    dis- 


74  OSTRICH    FEATHER   DYErNO. 

solve  a  small  liaiulful  of  starch  in  cold  water,  pass  your 
feathers  through,  squeeze  out  and  dry  in  the  usual 
way. 

If  your  feathers  be  found  much  too  light  for  your 
sample  to  be  matched,  rinse  ofl  starch  in  cold  water, 
and  return  your  feathers  to  logwood  bath  for  a  few  sec- 
onds; dissolve  a  small  pinch  of  copperas  in  a  gallon  of 
boiling  water,  reduce  temperature  a  little  and  enter 
your  feathers,  letting  them  remain  in  bath  a  few  sec- 
onds. Take  out  and  pass  through  starch  and  dr}'  If 
found  to  be  altogether  too  dark,  dilute  a  teaspoon ful  of 
oxalic  acid  in  a  gallon  of  hot  water;  pass  feathers 
through  a  few  seconds  and  rinse  off  in  boiling  water 
twice  ;   wash,  starch  and  dry. 


BRONZE. 

Wash  and  rinse  thoroughly,  using  soap  for  washing, 
and  rinse  out  in  hot  water  about  four  times ;  after 
wlpch  prepart  a  bath  of  one  quarter  pound  of  turmeric 
to  one  pnllon  of  boiling  water.  Enter  feathers  and  let 
remain  in  bath  about  tlirec  minutes;  take  out  and  rinse. 
Boil  a  bath  of  half  pound  of  logwood  to  one  gallon  of 
water  about  ten  minutes  ;  enter  feathers  and  let  remain 
in  bath  about  four  minutes ;  take  out  and  rinse.     Then 


OSTRICH   FEATHER    DYEING.  75 

prepare  a  bath  of  half  an  ounce  of  bichromate  of  pot- 
ash and  one  gallon  of  boiling  water,  and  let  feathers  re- 
main in  bath  about  two  minutes,  take  out  and  rinse. 
Next  prepare  a  bath  of  one  quarter  pound  of  turmeric 
and  one-quarter  teaspoonful  of  Victoria  green  crystals, 
and  add  one  gallon  of  boiling  water.  Enter  feathers 
and  let  remain  in  bath  about  four  minutes ;  take  out, 
cool  off  a  small  portion  of  the  bath  and  add  a  small 
handful  of  starch.  Pass  feathers  through  and  dry  in 
powdered  starch  by  pressing  between  the  hands ;  then 
beat  on  a  board  or  table  until  all  the  starch  is  removed 
from  the  feather. 


CHOCOLATE. 

Prepare  your  feathers  by  washing  and  rinsing  thor- 
oughly ;  and,  if  necessary,  bleach  with  permanganate  of 
potash.  After  doing  this,  rinse  thoroughly  in  hot  wa- 
ter for  the  purpose  of  removing  all  acid  from  the  fibre. 
Prepare  your  bath  of  one  gallon  of  water  at  boiling 
temperature ;  add  thereto  a  teaspoonful  of  turmeric  and 
a  small  pinch  of  copperas  about  the  size  of  a  bean. 
Enter  your  feathers  and  allow  them  to  remain  in  bath 
about  one  minute  or  longer.  Take  out  your  feathers, 
and  add  to  bath  about  one  tablespoonful  of  diluted  Bis- 


70  OSTRICH   FEATHER    DYEING. 

maick  Brown  and  a  few  drops  of  diluted  violet;  re-en- 
ter your  featbers,  and  let  tbem  remain  in  bath  alK)ut 
three  minutes,  keeping  tbem  meanwbile  well  under  the 
surlace  of  the  bath ;  after  which  take  tbem  out,  cool 
otf  a  small  portion  of  the  batb,  and  add  thereto  a  small 
handful  of  starch;  pass  your  feathers  through  and  dry 
in  the  usual  wa}'. 

If  a  very  dark  shade  be  required,  you  will  add  to 
bath  about  a  tablcspconful  of  logwood  liquor  at  the 
same  time  you  add  the  violet,  and  allow  them  to  remain 
in  batb  a  little  longer.  Should  3'ou  find  your  color  en- 
tirely too  dark  for  your  sample  to  be  matched,  rinse  off 
starch  in  cold  water;  dilute  about  a  half  teaspoonful  of 
oxalic  acid  in  a  gallon  or  more  of  hot  water.  Pass 
your  feathers  through,  and  rinse  off  in  luke  warm  water 
twice ;  then  pass  your  feathers  through  a  bath  of  boil- 
ing water,  for  the  purpose  of  effectively  removing  the 
acid  ;  after  which  prepare  again  as  called  for  in  recipe, 
using  a  little  more  care,  and  the  desired  result  will  be 
obtained. 

•        

MOSS   COLOR. 

Wash  your  feathers  and  rinse  thoroughly.  Prepare 
your    batb   of  quarter   pound   of  turmeric   and   a   half 


OSTIlICn   FEATHER   DYEING 


OSTRICH    FEATHER  DYEING.  77 

ounce  of  copperas  diluted  in  a  gallon  or  more  of  boil- 
ing water.  Enter  your  feathers  and  let  them  remain  in 
bath  about  two  minutes;  after  which  take  out  and 
rinse  twice  in  cold  water.  Meantime  have  a  medium 
strong  bath  of  logwood  boiling,  and  enter  your  feath- 
ers, letting  them  remain  in  about  one  minute,  take  out 
and  rinse.  Then  prepare  a  bath  of  about  two  ounces 
of  turmeric  and  a  small  pinch  of  aniline  green  in  a  gal- 
Ion  of  boiling  water.  Enter  your  feathers  and  allow 
them  to  remain  in  bath  about  three  minutes  or  longer. 
Take  out  and  cool  off  a  small  quantity  of  l>ath  with 
cold  water;  add  a  small  handful  of  starch,  pass  your 
feathers  through  and  dry. 

If  your  color  be  found  too  much  on  the  green  for 
your  sample  to  be  matched,  add  to  starch  bath  a  few 
drops  of  sulphuric  acid;  or,  instead,  rinse  off  starch 
and  mix  a  bath  of  two  ounces  of  turmeric  in  a  gallon 
of  boiling  water  ;  pass  your  feathers  through  for  a  min- 
ute or  so,  starch  and  dry. 

If  found  to  be  too  much  on  the  yellow  or  olive,  add 
to  your  bath  a  few  grains  of  aniline  green,  and  return 
them  to  the  same  for  a  few  seconds,  first  rinsing  off 
starch  in  cold  water.  If  found  too  light,  pass  for  a  few 
seconds  through  a  weak  bath  of  bichromate  of  potash ; 
and  if  too  dark,  dilute  a  few  grains  of  oxalic  acid  in 


78  OSTRICH   FEATHER   DYEIKO. 

Lot  water,  and  add  to  >our  starch  bath  a  few  drops. 
Pass  your  feathers  through  for  a  few  secouds  and  dry 
in  the  usual  way. 


PLAIN   DRAB. 

If  your  feathers  are  old,  dirty  whites,  wash  and 
rinse  them  thoroughly.  If  light  colors,  remove  the 
same  by  passing  through  permanganate  of  potash  pro- 
cess, and  use  great  care  in  rinsing  to  remove  all  the 
acid  before  entering  in  bath.  Prepare  your  bath  with 
one  gallon  of  lake  warm  water  and  a  small  handful  of 
starch  ;  enter  your  feathers  and  rub  them  around  well 
in  bath  between  the  hands  to  expand  the  fibres.  Take 
out  your  feathers,  and  add  to  bath  a  small  piece  of  cop- 
peras about  the  size  of  a  bean  and  about  a  quarter  cup- 
ful of  logwood  liquor:  re-enter  j'our  feathers,  and  let 
them  remain  in  bath  a  few  minutes,  meantime  adding  a 
small  quantity  of  hot  wator  to  increase  temjK'rature  of 
bath;  then  add  a  couple  of  drops  of  diluted  safranine 
to  bati),  let  remain  in  bath  one  minute  longer,  squeeze 
out  and  dry  as  usual. 

If  wanted  more  on  the  shade  of  felt  drab,  use,  in- 
stead of  safranine,  a  few  drops  of  Bismarck  brown  ; 
and  if  wanted  more  on  the  steel,  use  a  few  drops  of  di- 


OSTRICH  FEATHER  DYEING.  79 

luted  violet  in  bath.  If  a  darker  shade  should  be  de- 
sired, use  only  a  little  more  logwood  liquor,  and  allow 
them  to  remain  a  short  time  in  bath. 

Should  3  ou  find  your  color  to  be  altogether  too  dark 
for  sample  to  be  matched,  rinse  off  starch,  and  dilute  a 
half  teaspoonful  of  oxalic  acid  in  hot  water ;  pass  your 
feathers  through,  rinse  off  a  couple  of  times  in  luke 
warm  water  and  lastly  through  boiling  water,  for  the 
purpose  of  removing  all  acid.  Then  prepare  a  fresh 
bath  according  to  recipe,  and  pass  through  until  you 
have  obtained  the  desired  shade. 


COFFEE    COLOR 

Old  faded  out  light  colors  need  only  to  be  thorough- 
ly washed  and  rinsed  to  prepare  them  for  this  color ; 
and  darker  colors  can  be  prepared  by  bleaching  with 
permanganate  of  potash,  taking  care  to  rinse  thorough- 
ly in  hot  water  for  the  purpose  of  removing  all  the 
acid.  Prepare  your  bath  of  about  one  teaspoonful  of 
turmeric  and  copperas  about  the  size  of  a  bean  in  a 
gallon  of  boiling  water.  Enter  your  feathers  and  let 
remain  in  bath  about  two  minutes;  remove  feathers 
from  bath  and  add  a  half  cupful  of  logwood  liquor  and 
return  feathers  to  bath,  letting  them  remain  in  about 


80  OSTUlCll    KEATlIKll    DYEING. 

one  minute ;  after  which  remove  feathers  anil  atUl  ta 
your  bath  about  two  lublespoonfuls  of  diluted  Bismarck 
brown  and  hot  water  to  increase  temperature  of  balh; 
re  enter  feathers  and  allow  them  to  remain  in  about  two 
minutes;  after  which  cool  off  a  small  quantity  of  the 
bath  and  add  a  small  handful  of  starch  ;  pass  feathers 
through  and  dry. 

If  found  to  be  too  light,  return  to  bath,  first  adding 
more  logwood  li([Uor  and  Bismarck  brown,  and  let  them 
remain  in  bath  about  oi:e  minute.  If  too  dark  for  your 
sample  to  be  matched,  dilute  a  few  grains  of  oxalic  acid 
in  luke  warm  water;  pass  feathers  through  for  a  few 
seconds  and  rinse  off  three  times  in  luke  warm  water. 
Then  prepare  bath  as  per  recipe,  using  more  care  in  the 
preparation 

If  found  too  much  on  the  yellow,  a  few  drops  of  di- 
luted safranine  added  to  your  bath  will  produce  the 
desired  effect.  Use  clean  starch  in  drying;  if  a  table 
onboard  is  used,  see  that  it  is  perfectly  clean  and  free 
from  acid. 


PEA   GREEN. 

Prepare  your  feathers  by  washing  thoroughly  in  hot 
water,  and  rinse  thoroughly  to   remove  any  soap  that 


OSTRICH  FEATHER  DYEING.  81 

may  adhere  to  the  feathers.  Then  prepare  a  bath  by 
diluting  a  handful  of  starch  in  a  half  gallon  of  hand 
warm  water,  and  rub  feathers  around  between  the 
hands.  Remove  feathers  and  a  add  a  few  drops  of  di- 
luted Victoria  green  and  a  couple  of  drops  of  diluted 
picric  acid.  Enter  feathers,  letting  them  remain  in 
bath  about  two  minutes,  keeping  them  well  under  the 
surface  to  insure  an  even  color. 

If  wanted  a  shade  more  on  the  yellow,  add  a  drop 
more  of  picric  acid ;  and  if  more  on  the  blue,  leave  the 
picric  acid  out  entirely.  Take  out  and  dry  in  starch, 
being  careful  to  beat  out  on  a  clean  board  in  the  usual 
way. 


OLIVE    BROWN. 

Wash  feathers  thoroughly  in  hot  water  and  soap, 
and  rinse  about  four  times  in  hot  water  ;  after  which 
prepare  a  bath  of  half  a  pound  of  logwood ;  first  enter 
feathers  in  one-quarter  pound  of  turmeric  and  one  gal- 
lon of  boiling  water ;  let  them  remain  in  bath  about 
four  minutes.  When  logwood  bath  has  boiled  suffi- 
ciently, say  ten  minutes,  rinse  feathers  out  of  turmeric 
in  cold  water ;  and  enter  in  logwood,  letting  them  re- 
main in  bath  about  six  minutes ;   take  out  and  rinse. 


82  OSTUICU   FEATUEIi   DYEIXO. 

Prepare  r  batb  of  half  an  ounce  of  bichromate  of  pot- 
ash and  one  gallon  of  boiling  water ;  enter  feathers  and 
let  remain  in  bath  about  tfHIf  minute ;  take  out  and 
rinse  thoroughly  in  cold  water.  Mix  a  bath  of  one 
ounce  of  turmeric  to  one  ounce  of  archil  and  half  the 
old  logwood  bath  ;  bring  to  a  boil  and  enter  feathers, 
letting  them  remain  in  bath  about  six  minutes ;  take 
out  and  rinse.  Then  mix  a  bath  of  luke  warm  water 
and  starch,  add  a  couple  of  drops  of  8uli)hnric  acid  and 
a  couple  of  drops  of  picric  acid  diluted  ;  pass  feathers 
through,  squeeze  out  thoroughly  and  dry  by  rubbing 
in  powdered  starch  between  the  hands ;  beat  out  on  « 
clean  board  until  all  the  starch  is  removed  from  the 
feathers. 


PROCESS   OF   DEGRADING   OR   BLEACOINQ 

NATURAL   GRAY    OR   BLACK 

WHITE. 

Betnn  by  washing  and  rinsing  your  feathers  thor- 
ouf^hly  ;  after  which  soak  in  a  bath  of  compound  of 
one  gallon  of  ammonia  to  eight  gallons  of  water  for 
about  eight  hours :  take  feathers  out  and  squeeze  out 
the  excess  of  ammonia  which  is  in  the  flues.  Put  your 
feathers  in  the  peroxide  of  hydrogen  with  an  addition 


OSTUICH   FEATHER   DYEING. 


82a 


CARDIXAL— iJgge  33.  MEDIUM  GREEN— page  61, 


OSTRICH   FEATHER   DYEING.  83 

of  twelve  to  sixteen  ounces  of  ammonia  to  one  fi.ye 
gallon  can  or  demijohn,  and  let  it  work  slowly,  stirring 
feathers  from  time  to  time  for  about  six  hours ;  after 
which  lay  your  feathers  on  one  side  of  the  tub  and  add 
to  the  peroxide  of  hydrogen  bath  about  four  ounces 
more  of  ammonia ;  stir  the  bath  well  to  insure  a  thor- 
ough mixture  of  the  peroxide  of  hydrogen  with  the 
ammonia. 

The  peroxide  of  hydrogen  will  continue  to  work  for 
about  twelve  hours  more,  until  it  becomes  thoroughly 
exhausted ;  after  which  take  out  your  feathers  and 
rinse  a  few  times  in  luke  warm  water.  Then  proceed 
to  put  them  in  a  second  bath  of  peroxide  of  hydrogen 
to  be  prepared  as  follows :    To  a  half  gallon  demijohn 

of  peroxide  of  hydrogen  add  two  and  a  half  gallons  of    "2,  -'/! 

/ 
water,  and  add  thereto  about  eight  ounces  of  ammonia.    «^   o~' 

Then  enter  your  feathers,  and  allow  the  bath  to  work  a 

few  hours ;  again  add  about  two  ounces  of  ammonia  by   -- 

the  same  process  as  before,  and  then  let  it  work  a  few 

hours  longer,  or  until  the  bath  becomes  exhausted.     To 

ascertain  whether  total  exhaustion  has  taken  place,  take 

a  small  portion  of  the  bath  in  a  glass  and  dilute  therein 

a  few  grains  of  permanganate  of  potash ;  if  it  be  not 

totally  exhausted,  bubbles  will  appear  on  the  surface ; 

if  exhausted,  none  will  be  noticeable. 


iii 


84  OSTRICH   FEATUER   DYEINO. 

After  your  fenthers  have  been  removed  from  the 
bath  the}*  must  be  carefully  rinsed  off  in  three  or  four 
waters,  a  few  degrees  more  than  luke  warm.  Then  pre- 
pare a  warm  soap  bath,  and  allow  your  feathers  to  re- 
main in  a  few  minutes;  after  which  rinse  off  thorough- 
ly in  luke  warm  water;  dilute  a  small  handful  of  starch 
in  a  quantity  of  cold  water,  pass  your  feathers  through 
and  dr}'. 

All  natural  color  will  have  entirely  disappeared. 
Whatever  portion  of  the  amount  of  feathers  you  have 
just  bleached  are  for  whites,  before  drying  them  up, 
prepare  a  bath  as  per  recipe  for  white,  pass  through  and 
dry  in  the  usual  wa}'.  This  process  of  bleaching  is 
used  only  when  it  is  desirable  to  make  li{j;ht  colors  from 
gray  or  natural  black  feathers,  but  feathers  for  nav}' 
blue,  seal  brown,  bottle  green,  etc.,  will  not  be  improved 
by  bleaching.  The  shade  of  color  can  be  evened  off  in 
the  bath. 


OSTRICH    FEATHER   DYEING.  85 


HINTS     ABOUT     THE     DYE- 
HOUSE. 


In  dyehouses  where  steam  is  used,  it  is  necessary  to 
boil  your  bath  a  longer  time  than  where  the  bath  comes 
in  direct  contact  wiih  the  fire.  The  accommodations  of 
a  dyehouse  for  the  re-dying  of  ostrich  feathers  need  be 
very  simple  and  inexpensive;  in  fact,  I  have  seen  a 
dyehouse  where  old  re-dyed  transient  work  to  the 
amount  of  fifty  dollars  per  day  was  accomplished  with 
a  small  cooking  stove,  a  wash-boiler,  a  wash-bowl  and  a 
tin  dipper;  costing  in  all  less  than  six  dollars.  Of 
course,  in  the  manufacture  of  raw  stock  it  is  necessary 
to  have  larger  vessels  and  much  better  facilities ;  for  in- 
stance, instead  of  from  ten  to  fifty,  or  even  a  hundred 
feathers,  you  will  of  necessity  be  compelled  to  dye  lots 
of  from  five  to  ten  pounds  of  goods  at  one  time.  Two 
stationary  tubs  or  vats,  one  for  use  in  washing  white 
and  bleaching,  and  the  other  for  black,  with  water  pipes 


86  OSTUICII    FEATHER   DYEINQ. 

and  steam  pipes  and  connections  ;  a  few  large  porcelain 
lined  or  copper  basins  for  dark  colors  are  essential ; 
it  is  also  well  to  have  an  outer  room  or  inclosed  closet 
to  keep  your  dyestuffs  in,  as  it  is  important  that  they 
be  kept  clean.  When  cans  of  color  are  opened  for  the 
purpose  of  diluting  a  portion  or  making  a  color,  have 
the  cover  replaced  and  returned  to  closet  when  through 
with  it. 

Ilave  bench  or  table  whereon  rests  your  basins,  while 
you  mutch  shades  in  making  colors,  if  possible,  where  a 
north  light  will  strike  it ;  and  if  cold  weather  and  the 
windows  closed,  keep  the  glass  clean.  You  will  often 
get  various  reflections  in  the  dyehouse  that  cause  a 
great  deal  of  trouble  to  the  dyer;  as,  for  example,  if 
the  sun  should  be  shining  on  a  red  brick  wall  and  the 
reflection  beating  into  the  dyehouse.  it  will  oft^n  lead 
the  dyer  astray,  and  while  he  thinks  ho  has  a  j^erfect 
match,  when  the  color  goes  into  the  ollice  there  is  a  de- 
cided diflVrence. 

The  great  majority  who  are  expected  to  be  benefitted 
by  this  work  are  not  ostrich  feather  manufacturers, 
but  the  job  dyer ;  and  it  is  my  object  to  simplify  the 
dyehouse  as  well  as  the  methods  of  dyeing.  A  small 
corner  (^f  the  dyehouse  can  be  used,  and  a  couple  of 
ordinary  wa8h-l)owls,  a  common  wash  boiler  and  a  tin 


OSTKICII   FEATHER    DYEIXG.  87 

dipper  are  really  all  tlie  utensils  that  are  practically 
necessary  to  complete  the  dyeliouse  for  the  renovator. 
A  couple  of  hours  in  the  morning  devoted  to  feather 
dj-eing,  and  a  good  practical  man  can  turn  out  fifty 
dollars  worth  at  a  cost  of  only  his  two  hours  labor,  and 
perhaps  fifty  cents  worth  of  color.  Feathers  can  be 
dried  in  an  ordinary  hot  room  or,  if  warm  weather,  out 
in  the  open  air.  The  dry  room  where  large  quantities 
of  feathers  are  dried  should  never  be  too  warm,  as  the 
feathers  are  apt  to  dry  up  quicker  than  the  boys  can 
beat  the  starch  out  of  them ;  and,  as  a  consequence, 
the  flues  or  fibres  are  not  expanded  as  they  should  be, 
and  the  feathers  are  much  harder  to  curl.  The  board 
or  table  used  to  beat  the  feathers  on  must  be  perfectlj^ 
smooth,  as  there  is  otherwise  danger  of  tearing  out  the 
flues. 

The  drying  of  feathers  is  quite  an  important  opera- 
tion,  and  if  not  understood,  can  result  in  ruining  a 
great  many  by  drying  them  improperly,  allowing  the 
starch  to  dry  up  on  the  flues  without  beating  it  out, 
and  by  breaking  the  quills.  The  dry  room  is  only  used 
when  the  weather  is  too  inclement  to  dry  in  the  open 
air,  or  when  you  have  not  got  outside  accommodations. 
The  yard  or  roof  is  far  preferable  to  the  dry -room,  and 
<5specially  so  for  white  and  black  feathers.     After  hav- 


88  OSTRICH    FEATIIEK    DYEING. 

ing  been  washed  and  the  starch  thoioughl}-  removed,  it 
will  improve  them  greatly  to  expose  them  to  the  sun 
for  :in  hour  or  two.  Colors,  especially  delicate  shades, 
should  not  be  allowed  to  bang  in  the  sun  ou\y  during 
the  actual  time  re.juired  for  drying  a  black  made  by  our 
process;  it  greatly  improves  upon  exposure  to  the  sun- 
light, giving  it  an  advantage  over  all  others.  Baths  of 
logwood  or  old  garnet  baths  that  you  are  desirous  of 
saving  for  future  use,  it  will  be  well  to  remove  them 
from  the  copper  or  tin  basins  or  pans  to  wooden  buck- 
ets or  crockery  jars,  and  cover  them  up  for  the  purpose 
of  excluding  all  foreign  matter. 


MISCELLANEOUS   INFORMATION. 

In  the  redj'ing  of  old  feathers  the  first  thing  neces- 
sary is  to  enter  them  in  book  by  whatever  system  you 
may  think  best ;  after  which  they  are  assorted  as  to 
color,  the  blacks,  browns,  greens,  blues,  etc.  Put  in 
separate  lots  and  then  string  them  and  mark  your  tick- 
eta.  You  will  often  find  when  you  have  selected  your 
colors  a  number  of  different  shades  to  be  dyed  one 
color;  as,  for  example,  when  you  come  to  string  your 
browns,  you  will  find  a  blue,  a  green,  a  garnet,  a  diali. 
And  perhaps  a  dozen  different  shades  of  colors ;  string 


OSTRICH   FEATHER   DYEIXG.  89 

them  all  on  at  once  and  enter  together,  and  d^'e  a  good 
medium  shade  of  seal  brown  and  dry ;  after  which  you 
proceed  to  take  them  off  the  string,  and  place  them 
with  their  respective  tickets.  You  will  now  find,  per- 
haps, one  a  shade  too  dark  for  3'our  sample,  another 
perhaps  a  shade  too  light.  The  former  j-ou  would  pass 
through  a  weak  solution  of  sulpliuric  acid  in  starch 
bath,  and  the  latter  through  a  weak  solution  of  bi- 
-chromate  of  potash.  Another  one  you  ma}-  find  a  little 
too  red  for  sample,  or  too  yellow.  These,  in  turn,  you 
oan  bring  to  match  your  sample  as  per  recipe  for 
brown. 

In  beginning  the  days  work,  it  is  well  to  do  all  3'our 
bleaching  and  cleaning  first,  while  your  hand  basins 
and  dyehouse  are  in  a  clean  condition ;  after  which 
the  blacks,  as  thej-  require  logwood  good  and  pure,  and 
the  same  logwood  used  for  them  can  be  used  for  all 
other  colors  where  logwood  enters  into  their  composi- 
tion. Consequently  one  bath  of  logwood  boiled  in  the 
morning  will  do  all  the  work  for  the  day. 

In  Chicago  I  remember,  while  giving  instruction  to 
a  gentleman,  who  had  come  down  from  St.  Paul,  Minn., 
for  the  purpose  of  learning  the  art,  that  in  one  after- 
noon I  taught  him  how  to  make  evcrj-  color  and  shade 
of  color  known,  and  my  logwood   bath  that  was  used 


90  OSTRICU   F£AT1I£K  DYEING. 

during  the  whole  day's  work  wtis  boiled  in  a  smalt 
sauce-pan  that  held  about  two  quarts.  It  hail  been  used 
in  making  black,  browns,  greens  and  navy  blues  of  all 
shades,  and  was  still  in  good  enough  condition  to  make 
any  color,  excepting  i)erh:ip3  black. 

Keep  your  bath  of  logwooil  covered  at  all  times 
when  not  in  actual  use,  and,  indeed,  then,  if  convenient, 
to  prevent  any  foreign  substance  from  entering  it.  It 
is  the  custom  of  a  great  many  ostrich  feather  d^-ers  to 
keep  a  quantity  of  starch  in  the  dyehouse  for  the  pur- 
pose of  dipping  their  feathers  into  it  and  jiartially 
beating  them  out  prior  to  removing  them  from  the  bath 
for  the  purpose  of  drying  the  ends  up  to  see  if  they 
match  sample.  This  is  a  very  bad  pi^actice,  for  the 
loose  starch  flying  through  the  dyehouse  will  settle  on 
the  uncovered  colors  and  cause  not  a  little  annoyance 
and  trouble.  Keep  the  starch  out  of  the  dyehouse ; 
keep  it  in  the  drying-room  where  it  belongs.  In  drying 
your  feathers  out  of  the  baths  in  starch  it  is  well  to 
have  two  boxes, — one  to  be  used  for  colors  that  contain 
acid  ;  as,  for  example,  light  blues,  lemon,  etc.. — the 
other  for  those  colors  that  contain  none ;  such  as  drabs, 
pinks,  etc.  In  dissolving  colors  use  ordinary  bottles, 
and  be  sure  to  always  use  l>oiling  water  for  the  purpose 
of  diluting.      Let   the    proportions   be  about   one   tea- 


OSTRICH  FEATHER  DYEING.  ftt 

spoonful  of  color  to  one  pint  of  boiling  water.  Shake 
gently  to  thoroughly  dilute  aniline,  and  cork  or  cover 
bottles  to  keep  out  dirt. 

Colors  that  are  used  in  making  very  delicate  shades, 
such  as  pinks  or  light  blues,  it  is  well  to  tie  around  the 
top  of  the  bottle  in  place  of  a  cork  a  small  piece  of 
muslin.  It  will  act  as  a  strainer,  and  prevent  particles 
of  color  that  may  not  have  been  thoroughly  dissolved 
from  passing  into  the  bath  and  spotting  your  goods. 
Do  not  be  too  careful  of  the  hands  and  afraid  of  get- 
ting them  covered  with  dyestuffs ;  use  them  in  the  bath 
instead  of  sticks  at  all  times,  excepting  where  the  liq- 
uid is  too  hot  to  permit  it.  The  best  method  of  clean- 
ing the  hands,  no  matter  how  dirty,  is  to  pass  them 
through  a  solution  of  soda,  about  one-quarter  ounce  in 
a  small  quantity  of  hot  water ;  rinse  off  in  cold  water, 
and  take  about  a  teaspoonful  of  chloride  of  lime 
moisten  with  water  and  rub  the  hands  gently  with  it 
until  all  color  has  entirely  disappeared}  then  wash  with 
soap  and  hot  water. 


WASHING   RAW   STOCK. 

First  string  your  feathers,  being  careful  to  place  the 
string  on  the  end  of  quill  so  as  not  to  get  any  of  the 


92  OSTRICH    KEATIIEU    DYEING. 

flues  under  the  loop;  then  slice  down  according  to 
quantity  of  feathers  to  be  washed,  from  one  to  more 
pounds  of  soap  in  boiling  water,  and  boil  down  to  a  liq- 
uor; after  which  fill  a  clean  tub  half  full  of  luke  warm 
water,  and  pour  soap  into  it ;  then  enter  your  feathers 
and  give  them  a  slight  rubbing.  Then  push  them  well 
under  the  surface  of  the  water,  cover  them  up  and  aU 
low  them  to  remain  over  night.  In  the  morning  run  off 
dirty  water  and  squeeze  out  your  feathers;  enter  your 
feathers  in  a  tub  of  clean  luke  warm  water  and  use  an 
ordinary'  wash  board  and  a  soft  scrubbing  brush.  Rub 
bar  soap  on  feathers,  and  brush  gentl}',  being  very  care- 
ful not  to  tear  out  the  flues.  Soap  and  brush  one 
string  at  a  time,  manipulate  them  much  after  the  man- 
ner of  a  woman  handling  a  large  wash.  Be  careful  to 
give  minute  attention  to  the  bottom  portion  of  the 
feathers,  as  the  flues  are  always  more  closely  stuck  to- 
gether with  the  natural  grease  of  the  bird,  and  it  often 
require?  an  amount  of  hard  labor  to  remove.  Re|)eat 
the  washing  operation  and  rinse  off  in  about  three  luke 
warm  waters,  starch  and  dr\*. 

In  starching  rub  the  feathers  around  well  between 
the  hands  for  the  purpose  of  getting  all  the  flues  thor- 
oughly expanded,  squeeze  out  of  bath  and  hang  on 
lines  to  dry.     Put  no  more  out  at  once  than  the  dyers 


OSTRICH  FEATHER  DYEING.  93 

can  comfortably  handle,  as  it  is  well  to  Lave  them  beat 
out  on   board  at  regular  intervals  of  a  minute  or  so; 
thereby  expanding  the  flues  to  their  utmost.     The  pro- 
cess of  selecting  the  diflerent  grades  or  qualities  follow, 
and  it  is  necessary  for  the  person  performing  this  work 
to  be  familiar  with  the  application  of  dyestufl-s  to  feath- 
ers, to  insure  the  dyer   less   trouble;  as  the  difl'erent 
qualities  all  put  in  the  bath  together,  and  going  through 
exactly  the  same  process  will  come  out  different  shades 
of  color,  will  cause  the  dyer  a  great  deal  of  trouble  and 
labor  getting  them  all  an  even  color.     When  a  batch  of 
feathers  are  intended  for  white  it  will  not  be  necessary 
to  dry  them  first ;  simply  wash  and  rinse,  and  prepare 
your  white  bath  as  per  recipe,  and  pass  them  through  it. 
It  is  scarcely  necessary  to   remark   here   that   natural 
black  and  gray  feathers  must  not  be  washed  at  the  same 
time  with  whites,  as  the  latter  would  not  be  improved. 
Strings  should  not  contain  more  than  fifty  plumes, 
for,  if  they  are  made  much  longer,  it  would  be  awkward 
to  handle  them.     Tips,  however,  are  often  strung  three 
or  four  in  a  bunch,  according  to  size,  and  an   ordinary 
string  may  contain  two  or  three  hundred.     In  washing 
natural  black  tips  it  is  advisable  to  use  a  brush  on  them 
during  the  first  rinsing  to  remove  all  particles  of  soap 
therefrom. 


04  OSTKICll    KEATUER    DYEING. 

SHADING. 

Shading  from  dark  to  light  colors  is  the  result  of 
submerging  one  portion  of  the  feather  in  the  bath  and 
withholding  the  balance.  Great  care  and  not  a  little 
skill  is  needed  to  produce  a  sutisfactory  result.  There 
are  various  wa}  s  of  himilling  the  goods,  covering  up 
the  portions  to  remain  the  light  shade  or  holding  them 
out  with  the  hands.  Spotted  or  speckled  feathers  are 
produced  by  first  dyeing  the  light  shade  that  you  desire 
to  be  spotted,  and  then  wrapping  around  a  round  slick 
with  cord,  according  to  the  size  jou  desire  to  have  the 
spots,  you  will  regulate  the  weight  of  cord  used.  After 
having  bound  the  cord  tightly  around  the  feather  and 
stick,  which  must  then  be  tied  firmly  to  keep  from  slip- 
j)ing,  pass  through  boiling  water  for  a  few  seconds  for 
the  purpose  of  expanding  the  wood  and  contracting  the 
cord,  thereby  making  the  cord  much  tighter.  After 
you  have  made  them  whatever  dark  color  j'ou  desire, 
take  out,  starch  and  pass  through  dr}'  starch;  then  re- 
move cord  and  dry  30ur  feathers,  when  you  will  find 
that  the  portion  covered  by  the  cord  will  be  the  light 
siiade,  and  the  feathers  have  the  appearance  of  being 
tlotted  :ill  over. 

Natural  blacks  or  grays  can  be  speckled  as  follows: 
Go  through   the  same  preparations  of  binding  around 


OSTRICH  FEATHER  DYEING .  95 

Stick  with  cord  and  degrading  or  bleaching  them  white. 
The  result  will  be  that  the  portion  covered  with  cord 
will  be  same  as  before  entering  the  bath,  a  black  or  dark 
brown,  and  the  body  of  the  feathers  will  be  white. 
Should  you  desire  the  feathers  dyed  any  light  color  to 
contrast  with  the  dark  spots ;  before  removing  the  cord, 
mix  your  bath  and  dye  as  per  recipe,  dry  as  before  di- 
rected, and  the  result  is  very  beautiful.  Some  very 
nice  effects  are  produced  in  shading  by  taking  natural 
grays  or  bioucs,  that  is,  feathers  that  are  one  portion 
white  and  the  balance  in  spots,  black. 


PARING,  STEAMING  AND   CURLING. 

Feathers  that  have  just  come  out  of  the  dyehouse 
for  the  first  time  require  paring,  which  consists  in  re- 
moving the  quill  from  the  inner  portion  of  the  feather, 
thereby  making  the  feathers  more  elastic.  The  feathers 
must  first  be  thoroughly  dried ;  they  are  then  taken, 
one  at  a  time,  held  between  the  thumb  and  two  fore  fin' 
gers  of  the  left  hand,  while,  with  a  knife  held  in  the 
right,  the  inner  quill  is  rapidly  removed  close  to  the 
flues  or  fibres.  This  branch  of  the  business  is  in  itself 
a  trade,  and  requires  a  great  amount  of  skill  and  cau- 
tion to  prevent  cutting  through  the  quill.     The  feather 


96  OSTUICII    KI^TIIER    DYEIXO. 

can  be  made  still  more  limber  by  scraping  tlie  quill 
with  ft  piece  of  glass.  Of  course,  this  process  of  par- 
ing the  quill  is  only  used  in  new  work.  In  re-dying  old 
feathers  it  is  never  needed ;  in  old  work  it  i8  onl}'  nec- 
essary to  dry  up  thoroughly,  steam  and  curl.  A  great 
many  have  no  knowledge  of  what  relation  steaming  has 
to  the  finishing  of  feathers.  It  has  the  effect  of  making 
all  the  flues  lie  perfectly  straight  beside  each  other,  and 
also  dampens  the  feathers  just  enough  to  assist  the 
curler  in  her  work. 

It  is  necessary  to  have  a  steamer  made  as  follows : 
get  a  kettle  that  will  hold  about  one  gallon  or  more  of 
water,  made  out  of  plain  tin,  with  a  spout  commencing 
at  the  base  about  two  inches  in  width  and  tapering  up 
to  a  half  inch  in  width  at  top.  The  spout  should  l)e 
about  eighteen  inches  in  length ;  the  total  cost  should 
not  l>e  more  than  one  dollar.  Never  have  it  more  than 
half  full  of  water,  and  you  can  boil  it  on  either  an  ordi- 
nary stove  or  common  gas  or  oil  stove. 

You  may  ask  why  steam  from  the  boiler,  or  out  of 
an  ordinary  tea-kettle  would  not  answer?  It  is  too  wet. 
Instead  of  having  the  desired  effect  it  wets  the 
flues,  while  the  other  dampens  it  just  enough.  The 
steam  emitted  from  the  steam  kettle  is  drier  than  anj' 
other. 


OSTRICH    FEATHER   DYEING.  97 

When  the  steam  is  passing  through  the  tube  take 
hold  of  the  feathers  by  either  end  and  pass  backward 
and  forward  for  a  few  seconds  about  two  inches  above 
the  top  of  pipe,  and  lay  down  perfectly  flat,  one  on  top 
of  the  other.  Curling  is  a  trade  that  can  only  be  thor- 
oughly mastered  by  practice ;  the  principles  can  be 
taught,  but  only  practice  will  make  perfect.  It  does 
not,  however,  require  a  great  while.  I  have  known  per- 
sons that  within  three  months  had  become  first-class 
curlers,  practicing  a  short  time  each  day. 

The  feather  is  held  between  the  first  and  second  fin- 
ger and  thumi)  of  the  left  hand  and  a  few  flues  taken  up 
at  a  time  with  the  knife  held  in  the  right  hand,  and 
gently  drawn  along  the  round  dull  edge  of  the  knife, 
and  allowed  to  drop  in  a  half  circle  ;  begin  at  the  bot- 
tom of  the  right  hand  side  of  the  feather,  work  up  to 
the  top  and  around  and  down  the  other  side ;  and  in 
laying  up  take  up  about  three  flues  at  a  time,  skipping 
about  six.  Feminine  fingers  are  generally  better 
adapted  to  this  work  than  others,  and,  in  fact,  it  is  more 
of  a  woman's  work  than  a  man's. 

Tips  are  general!}'  bent  and  branched.  You  can 
give  the  feathers  a  nice  droop  by  taking  the  quill  be- 
tween the  thumb  and  fore-finger,  and  with  the  thumb 
pressing  the  quill  through  between  the  first  and  second 


98  OSTKICII    FEATIIEU   DYEING. 

finger.  Begin  about  the  middle  of  the  feather,  and, 
shifting  about  a  quarter  inch  at  a  time,  pass  swiftly  up 
towards  the  top,  when  the  feathers  will  have  a  very 
beautiful  droop.  Plain  wire  stems  can  be  used.  Take 
thin  wire,  cut  about  five  inches  in  length,  and  twist  one 
end  of  it  on  stem  or  quill  of  your  feathers  so  as  to 
hold  ;  then  take  tissue  paper,  cut  in  strips  about  a  half 
inch  wide,  and  in  color  corresponding  with  the  shade  of 
feathers ;  wrap  it  around  wire  to  entirely  cover  it  up, 
and  then  branch  tips,  two  or  three  in  a  bunch,  as  suits 
your  fancy. 


OSTRICH  FEATHER    DYEING.  99 


NOTE   OF   THE   PUBLISHER. 

The  old  maxim,  that  "  seeing  is  believing,"  applies 
perhaps  nowhere  more  than  in  dyeing.  All  those  who 
have  availed  themselves  of  the  opportunity  to  see  the 
method  of  dyeing  ostrich  feathers  practically  executed 
before  their  eyes  by  the  author,  as  described  in  the  fore- 
going pages,  are  satisfied  of  and  willingly  testify  to  its 
superiority  over  any  of  the  methods  heretofore  known, 
practiced  and  often  acquired  at  the  cost  of  much 
money,  time  and  trouble,  and  which,  in  many  cases, 
when  put  to  the  practical  test,  failed  to  give  the  desired 
results.  Yet  there  are  probably  many  more  disbeliev- 
ers than  believers  in  any  new  method,  however  freely 
and  truthfully  certified  to,  who  mistrust  the  quick  work 
of  our  new  processes  of  ostrich  feather  d3'eing,  and 
who  would  rather  prefer  to  operate  after  a  somewhat 
slow  but  (in  their  opinion)  therefore  surer,  older  meth- 
od.    They  shall  not  be  disappointed  by  perusing  our 


lOU  OSTUlLll    KEATllER     DYEING. 

book  and  in  looking  up  something  which  they  would 
want  to  try  in  practice,  and  for  Ihem  esi>ecially  we  sup- 
plement our  book  with  the  following  Appendix,  con- 
taining :i  number  of  practically  tested  recipes  for  dye- 
ing ostrich  feathers. 


A  PPENDIX. 


OSTEICU   FEATUEIl   DYEING.  103 


GENERAL    REMARKS 


The  cultivated  taste  of  the  present  age,  requiring 
a  large  variety  of  natural  and  artificially  produced  or 
embellished  material  for  adornment,  emploj'S  almost 
any  kind  of  bird's  feathers,  either  in  their  natural  col- 
oring or  dyed.  None  of  them,  however,  are  used  in  the 
condition  as  they  are  plucked  from  the  bod}'  of  the  live 
or  dead  bird,  but  all  must  undergo  a  cleaning  process, 
which  not  only  serves  to  improve  their  appearance,  but 
is  an  exceedingly  essential  requisite  for  the  preser- 
vation of  the  material  from  decay  and  the  attacks 
of  moth  and  other  insects,  and  is.  above  all,  the  first 
condition  and  indispensable  preparatory  operation  for 
dyeing  feathers,  whether  the  costly  feather  of  the  os- 
trich or  the  common  feather  of  our  domestic  chicken  or 
pigeon.  The  cleaning  or  washing  process  is  the  same 
for  all  kinds  of  feathers  ;  the  ostrich  feather,  however, 
requires  drying  after  every  treatment  in  a  bath,  and  a 


104  OSTRICH    KEATHEU   DVEIXO. 

special  operation  for  the  purpose  of  opening  the  fine 
Hues,  which  gives  the  plumage  of  the  ostrich  its  charac- 
teristic and  distinguishing  beauty  and  rich,  down}'  ap- 
pearance of  luxurious  softness. 

The  feathers  of  the  ostrich,  which  are  used  for 
<lress- feat  hers,  are  taken  from  the  wings  and  tail  of  the 
bird,  whose  spurred  wings,  by  their  peculiar  construc- 
tion render  it  entirely  unfit  for  flight.  The  wings 
seem  rather  only  lit  to  serve  for  the  purpose  of  holding 
the  body  of  the  bird  in  equilibrium  while  running,  and 
of  preventing  it  from  sinking  to  any  depth  into  the 
loose  sand  of  the  deserts,  which  are  the  home  of  the  os- 
trich. The  natural  colors  of  the  ostrich  feathers  are 
white,  black  and  gray,  or  rather  a  dark  drab.  Thej*  are, 
therefore,  sorted  according  to  their  natural  color,  to  be 
bleached  white,  or  djed  in  light  colors,  or  to  be  used 
for  dark  shades.  Practical  men  in  the  general  dyeing 
business,  and  in  garment  dyeing  or  re-<lyeing,  hold  that 
it  is  unnecessary  to  bleach,  respectively  strip,  the  mate- 
rial for  dyeing  dark  colors,  and  garment  dyers  strip 
their  material  only  to  a  certian  extent,  so  as  to  leave 
upon  it  a  bottom  of  color  which  the}'  can  advanta- 
geously use  for  their  new  dye.  This  method  appears 
correct,  if  as  "  practical  "  as  all  that  is  designated, 
which  results  in  a  saving  of  expense  or  labor  ;  but  it  is 


OSTRICH  FEATHER   DYEING.  105 

evident  that  a  clear  color  of  the  highest  possible  beauty 
can  never  be  obtained  upon  a  bottom  of  a  different  hue ; 
the  bottom  color  will  always,  more  or  less,  show  and 
impair  the  purity  of  the  topping  color ;  but  compound 
or  mixed  colors  can  be  thus  produced  in  an  advanta- 
geous manner  and  to  good  effect,  if  the  color  of  the 
bottom  enters  into  their  composition.  The  same  is  un- 
questionably the  case  with  ostrich  feathers,  and  the 
d3'er  is  often  compelled  and  must  be  prepared  to  bleach 
the  gray  or  black  and  white  feathers  in  order  to  dye 
them  any  light  shade.  The  bleaching  of  naturally 
purely  black  feathers  is  probably  but  seldom  required, 
as  these  are  ordinarily  left  as  nature  has  made  thorn,  but 
merely  cleaned  to  heighten  their  beauty  and  gloss. 

Owing  to  the  delicate  nature  of  the  material,  the  dye- 
ing of  ostrich  feathers  bears  much  similarity  to  that  of 
silk ;  both  being  high  in  price,  carelessness  and  negli- 
gence in  their  treatment  is  apt  to  entail  heavy  losses. 
The  utmost  cleanliness  of  all  utensils  is  an  absolute  re- 
quirement; dyestuffs,  drugs  and  chemicals  must  never 
be  added  to  baths  in  substance,  but  always  in  solution, 
and  never  while  the  material  is  in  the  bath  ;  but  the 
material  must  be  taken  up  while  the  dyestuff  or  salt, 
etc.,  solution  is  being  added  to  the  bath,  and  only  re- 
entered after  stirring  well.     Solutions,  as  well  as  deeoc- 


106  OSTRICH    FEATIIEK   DVEINO. 

tions,  must  always  be  filtered,  respectively  strained, 
before  adding  them  to  the  dye  batb,  even  if  they  have 
been  prepared  beforehand,  because  any  undissolved  or 
solid  particle  of  substance  deposited  upon  the  feathers 
would  necessarily  produce  a  spot  or  mariv  of  a  darker  or 
lighter  shade,  as  the  case  may  be,  according  to  the  char- 
acter of  the  uiulissolved  substance.  Although  alkalies 
and  heat  are  applied  and  necessar}'  for  washing  or 
scouring,  that  is,  cleaning  and  ungreasing  the  feathers, 
strong  alkaline  and  excessive  heat  operating  together 
are  as  fatal  for  feathers  as  they  are  for  any  other  animal 
fibre, — wool  or  silk, — and  strong  heat  applied  to  dry 
feathers  is  apt  to  irretrievably  ruin  them.  The  soap  with 
which  feathers  are  to  be  treated,  must,  therefore,  be  as 
neutral  as  possible,  and  if  recipes  speak  of  "boiling" 
the  feathers,  it  must  be  understood  in  the  sense  as  in 
wool-dyeing,  that  is,  to  apply  a  heat  near  the  boiling 
point,  when  the  baths  begin  to  throw  up  bubbles,  but 
not  actually  boil. 

Tliat  the  water  used  for  any  purpose  in  ostrich 
feather  dyeing,  for  washing,  bleaching,  dyeing  or  rinsing, 
must  be  perfectly  clean,  needs  hardly  to  be  men- 
tioned. 


OSTRICH  FEATHKR  DYEING.  107 

UTENSILS. 

The  utensils  required  for  feather  dyeing  are  of  a 
verj^  simple  character,  few  and  inexpensive.  For  small 
establishments  an  ordinary  stove,  a  common  wash-boiler, 
to  have  constantly  hot  water  on  hand,  an  ordinary 
wash  tub,  a  white  china  wash-basin  for  dj'eing,  a  clean 
board  for  starching  and  a  few  bottles,  together  with  a 
small  tin  pan  or  kettle  and  funnel,  for  making  solutions 
and  decoctions  and  filtering  them,  is  all  that  is  necessary 
besides  the  work  table.  More  recently,  flat,  oval  upper 
pans,  tinned  for  special  purposes,  have  been  introduced 
as  dye-vessels,  which  are  neatly  provided  with  a  moveable 
perforated  false-bottom,  and  are  heated  either  upon  a 
direct  fire,  or  a  gas  jet,  or  by  direct  steam.  In  large 
establishments  copper  pans  are  generally  used,  for  the 
better  grades  of  ostrich  feathers  especially,  and  for  ordi- 
nary goods  wooden  tubs,  both  heated  by  steam.  Where 
wooden  tubs  are  used,  several  of  them  are  set  apart  for 
the  color  most  in  demand,  such  as  black,  brown,  gray, 
mode,  etc. 


PREPARATION  OF  THE  FEATHERS. 

The  bundles  received  from  the  dealer  being  opened, 
the  feathers  are  sorted  according  to  color  and  size,  and 


108  OSTURH    FEATHKK   DVEIXfJ. 

those  for  white  and  light  colors,  to  be  bleached,  are  laid 
fron  those  of  dark  colors,  which  arc  ordinarily  not 
bleached,  that  is,  the  black  or  gray  ones.  When  going 
to  work  the  feathers  are  jnit  on  strings,  that  is,  they  are 
firmly  tied  singly,  about  an  inch  apart  from  one  another, 
and  about  an  inch  above  the  end  of  the  quill,  20  or 
25  with  one  string,  seldom  more,  as  the}'  would  make 
the  bundle  too  thick  and  unhandy.  The  feathers  are  then 
ready  for  the  steep,  which  operation  ought  always  and 
for  any  method  be  the  first  step  of  treatment  before  pro- 
ceeding to  washing,  scouring  and  bleaching  proper. 

For  this  purpose  a  strong  solution  of  soap  is  made  in 
boiling  water;  when  cooled  down  to  about  150°  F.,  it  is 
well  stirred,  the  feathers  entered  and  left  in  the  bath 
overnight.  The  temperature  ma}-  be  kept  up  over  night. 
It  is  necessary,  however,  to  lay  the  feathers  down  in  the 
steep  so  that  the  ruiuid  can  reach  every  part  of  them, 
and  to  keep  them  well  immersed  in  the  steep,  for  which 
purpose  it  is  advisable  to  weigli  them  down  by  clean 
sticks  of  woo<l  or  some  other  means.  Instead  of  soap, 
soda  may  be  used  for  the  steep;  taking  about  one  and 
one-half  ounces  of  soda  crystals  to  one  gallon  of  water. 

By  the  steep  the  impurities,  dirt  and  grease,  cover- 
ing the  feather  are  loosened,  and  thereby  the  following 
cleaning  operations  materially  faciliUiled. 


OSTRICH  FEATHER  DYEING.  109 

CLEANING  AND  BLEACHING  OF  FEATHERS. 

The  ostrich  feathers,  like  all  material  taken  from  the 
covering  of  the  animal  body,  wool,  h9,ir,  etc.,  which  are 
embellished  by  dj'eing  for  the  use  of  man  or  woman  in 
dress,  contain  by  nature  a  certain  amount  of  fat,  and  in 
their  raw  condition  are  more  or  less  covered  with  dust, 
dirt  and  a  greasy  exudation,  which  must  be  removed 
for  dyeing;  that  is,  they  are  scoured  or  washed  and  then 
bleached  or  whitened,  because  the  feathers,  like  all  other 
so-called  white  animal  matter,  have  always  a  faint 
yellowish  tint,  sometimes  yellowish  spots  which  cannot 
be  removed  without  injury  to  the  material,  but  obliter- 
ated by  bleaching,  which,  in  the  case  of  white  feathers,  is 
called  bleaching  or  whitening.  The  bleaching  of  gray 
and  black  feathers  and  the  stripping  or  decoloring  of 
dyed  feathers  are  different  operations. 

For  scouring  or  washing,  novel  methods  are  recom- 
mended, which,  however,  differ  from  one  another  very 
little,  and  are,  on  the  whole,  represented  by  the  follow- 
ing: Prepare  a  good  hand-warm  bath  (100-120°  F  ), 
in  which  dissolve  two  ounces  Marseilles  soap  in  per 
gallon  of  water  and  beat  np  to  a  good  lather.  Enter 
feathers  and  rub  them  well,  string  for  string,  by  hand. 
They  may  even  be  taken  upon  a  wash-board  and  rubbed 


110  OSTIUCll   FEATUER    DYE1^•0. 

with  a  brush,  which  does  not  hurt  them,  notwithstanding 
their  delicate  structure,  because  the  soap  steep  has  given 
them  great  elasticity  and  resistance  to  the  manipulation. 
Continue  the  operations  until  the  tiink  is  exhausted  and 
dirty  ;  then  give  another  fresh  bath  of  the  same  com|K)- 
sition  and  temperature ;  treat  the  feathers  as  in  the  flrst 
bath  and  rinse  them  perfectly  clean  from  every  particle 
of  soap  in  two  or  three  luke-warm  (100°)  waters;  for, 
every  trace  of  soap  remaining  upon  the  feathers  will 
hinder  the  d}  e  from  running  up  and  cause  uneven  colors, 
or,  upon  white  feathers,  3ellow  stains.  Then  prepare  a 
cold  bath  with  solution  of  bioxohite  of  potash  (one-eighth 
to  one-sixth  ounce  of  salt  to  one  gallon),  enter  feathers, 
pass  them  in  the  bath  for  15 — 20  minutes,  take  up  and 
rinse  them  in  cold  water  three  to  four  times  to  remove 
the  salt.  For  feathers  which  have  to  remain  white,  the 
latter  bath  is  composed  of  one  and  one-quarter  ounces 
bioxolate  of  potash  and  one  and  one-eighth  ounces  oxalic 
acid  to  one  gallon  of  water,  and  the  feathers  laid  down 
in  it  until  perfectly  white  ;  when  they  are  taken  out  and 
rinsed  clean  from  acid  in  luke-warm  water. 

The  feathers  l)eing  rinsed  clean  from  the  oxolate  of 
potash  bath,  if  destined  for  white,  are  then  whitened,  or 
rather  blued,  for  the  purpose  of  covering  the  yellowish 
tint  above  mentioned.     To  this  purpose  a  cold  bath  is 


OSTKICII   FEATHER   DYEING.  Ill 

prepared  with  only  so  much  methyl  violet  or  methylene 
blue,  as  to  give  the  water  a  very  faint  tint.  To  ascer- 
tain whether  this  is  the  case,  a  white  china  plate  is  held 
about  a  foot  below  the  surface  of  the  bath,  when  its  ap- 
pearance will  show  the  shade  of  blue  that  will  be  pro- 
duced  by  the  bath.  The  feathers  are  then  entered  and 
goitly  agitated  in  the  bath  until  they  have  the  desired 
tint. 


DRYING  OR  STARCHING. 

The  feathers  coming  from  the  bioxolate  of  potash 
bath,  after  rinsing,  or  from  the  blue  baths,  are  squeezed 
out  by  pulling  them  through  the  hand,  and  pressing 
them  between  the  laps  of  a  dry  clean  piece  of  white 
muslin,  whereupon  they  are  immediately  passed  through 
a  bath  of  raw  starch,  that  is,  unboiled  starch,  consistino- 
of  about  one-half  pound  of  starch  to  a  gallon  of  water. 
After  passing  them  through  the  hand  the  feathers  are 
then  again  pressed  between  the  cloth  ;  then  the  waves 
are  lightly  drawn  by  hand  over  the  stems,  and  the 
feathers  either  beaten  between  the  hands  or  upon  a  clean 
board  over  a  stove  until  dry,  or  they  are  agitated  by 
hand  or  by  a  suitable  mechanical  contrivance  before  an 
open  lire  or  gas-jet,  or  hung  in  a  warm  room  and  fre- 


112  OSTKICII   FEATIIEK   DYEING. 

quently  shaken  until  dry,  that  is,  until  all  slaicli  has 
dropped  out;  and  finally  the  remaining  starch  is  beaten 
out  between  the  hands  or  upon  the  board  by  means  of  a 
soft  brush.  By  this  treatment  the  feathers  are  not  only 
dried,  but  the  flues  opened  besides.  It  needs  not  to  be 
specially  mentioned,  that  the  feathers  are  dried,  or 
finished,  as  it  wore,  in  the  same  manner  after  dyeing. 

In  case  the  flues  are  not  sufficiently  opened,  although 
all  the  starch  has  l)een  beaten  out,  dip  the  feathers  into 
clean  benzine  and  swing  or  agitate  them  until  dry,  which 
takes  place  in  a  few  minutes,  while  the  flues  are  opened 
in  the'most  perfect  manner.  For  white  feathers  the 
benzine  may  be  blued,  but  in  this  case,  they  must  be 
dried  between  muslin. 


BLEACHING    OR    DECOLORING    NATURALLY 
GRAY  FEATHERS. 

The  feather  dyer  is  often  required  to  dye  light  colors 
upon  naturally  gray  or  even  black  feathers.  As  above 
remarked,  the  natural  color  would  show  even  under  dark 
colors  dyed  upon  them  to  a  greater  or  less  extent, 
unless  they  are  first  decolorized,  that  is,  their  natural 
color  destroyed  or  blackened.  Much  more  necessary  is, 
therefore,  this  operation  for   light  colors  to  l)e   dyed 


OSTRICH    FEATHER  DYEING.  113 

upon  naturally  colored  ostrich  feathers.  The  only 
known  chemical  agent  affecting,  such  a  bleach  to  nearly 
white  is  peroxyd  of  hydrogen  or  oxygenated  water. 
For  bleaching  ostrich  feathers  a  bath  is  prepared  of 
peroxyd  of  hydrogen  to  which  so  much  liquid  ammonia 
is  added  as  to  give  the  bath  a  sharp  pungent  odor.  The 
feathers,  which  must  be  previously  cleaned  as  above 
mentioned,  and  well  rinsed,  are  entered  and  left  im- 
mersed in  the  bath  until  they  have  assumed  a  nearly 
white  cream  color,  whereupon  the  feathers  are  taken 
up  and  thoroughly  rinsed  or  laid  down  in  running  water 
until  every  trace  of  ammonia  has  disappeared.  It  must 
be  observed,  however,  that  only  acid  aniline  colors  can 
be  dyed  upon  such  decolorized  feathers  and  that  in  dye- 
ing only  a  moderate  heat  must  be  applied. 

Dr.  P.  Ebell,  of  Linden,  near  Hanover,  one  of  the 
first  and  still  largest  manufacturers  of  peroxyd  of  hydro- 
gen, writes  on  the  subject  of  feather  bleaching  as  fol- 
lows :  The  assorted  and  picked  feathers  are  cleaned 
from  dirt  and  fat  with  soap  and  water  by  means  of  soft 
brushes,  which  opei'ation  is  continued  until  the  feathers 
(after  drying)  are  readily  wetted  by  water ;  when  they 
are  laid  down  for  some  time  in  pure  water.  The  liquids 
are  removed  from  the  feathers  by  a  centrifugal  machine 
or  a  wringer  (the  latter  is  evidently  meant  for  ordinary 


114  OSTKICU   FEATUEB  DYEIXO. 

feathers,  other  than  ostrich  feathers).  Mix  in  a  clean 
wooden  tub  twenty  litres  peroxyd  of  hydrogen  (Kicnigs- 
w.a?ter  &  Ebell)  with  four  hundred  and  fifty  grammes 
ammonia  20°  B.  (=:0  9  sp.  gra.)  and  heat  to  34*» 
C,  b\-  a  leaden  steam  pipe  at  the  bottom  of  the  tub. 
Enter  5  kilo,  cleaned  feathers,  which  work  by  hand  and 
turn  every  hour.  In  twenty  four  hours  the  bleach  is 
completed.  If  pure  white  feathers  are  wanted,  give  a 
second  bath,  but  for  a  shorter  period.  The  bleached 
feathers  are  carefully  removed  from  the  bleaching  bath 
and  laid  down,  for  an  hour  and  a  half,  in  a  cold  bath  of 
one  hundred  litres  water  containing  one  hundred 
grammes  sulphuric  acid  66°  B.,  and  then  completely 
lixiviated  in  pure,  soft  water.  "While  moist  (after 
sqiicczing)  the}'  are  then  passed  througii  a  milk  of  un- 
boiled starch  which  is  light!}'  blued  with  aniline  blue  or 
violet,  and  slowly  dried,  in  the  air  or  in  a  warm  room, 
under  rci>eated  shaking  to  prevent  the  lines  from  stick- 
ing together.  After  removing  the  starch  by  beating,- 
the  feathers  are  ready  for  curling,  etc. 


PEKOXY-D  OF  HYDROGEN. 

This  most  valuable  bleaching  agent  is  a  contraction 
of    hydrogen    nnd    oxypcn.  of  the  formula   HO,,  sjv 


OSTEICH  FEATHER    DYEING.  II5 

grv.1.45  (chemically  given),  or  94.12  per  cent,  oxyaen 
with  6  88  per  cent,  hydrogen.  It  consists  in  a  limpid, 
syrupous  liquid,  of  characteristic  color,  and  when  heated 
to  15°  C,  is  decomposed  into  water  and  oxygen,  upon 
which  property  its  great  bleaching  power  is  based.'  Ex- 
periments to  reduce  it  to  a  solid  form  by  refrigeration 
and  pressure  have  thus  far  been  unsuccessful.  The 
commercial  article  is  somewhat  modified  by  the  addition 
of  water  to  prevent  its  ready  decomposition  under  the 
influence  of  a  warm  temperature.  For  the  same  reason 
It  is  advisable  to  always  keep  it  in  a  cool  place. 


LIGHT  BLUE. 

L  To  dye  this  delicate  color  well,  special  care  must  be 
taken  in  cleaning  the  feathers,  for  which  purpose  only 
olive-oil  soap  of  the  best  quality,  with  a  little  ammonia 
ought  to  be  employed.  When  they  are  perfectly  clean 
and  no  more  grease  upon  the  stems,  rinse  them  first  in 
one  or  two  lukewarm  waters,  then  in  cold  water  until 
the  last  trace  of  soap  is  removed.  Then -fill  your  basin 
or  dyeing  pan  three-quarters  full  of  cold  water;  put  in, 
for  a  dozen  feathers,  one  hundred  and  eighty  grammes' 
(about  eight  ounces)  of  raw  starch  in  a  sufficient  quan- 
tity of  good  indigo  extract  to  give  the  starch-bath  the 


IK)  osruu  II    KEATHEK    DYEING. 

desired  shade.  Kuter  the  leathers  and  work  them 
gently  until  they  are  completely  dyed,  that  is,  for  about 
fifteen  or  twenty  minutes.  Then  Uike  them  out,  squeeze 
out  the  starch  by  putting  tlieni  between  the  fingers  and 
thumb  of  your  hand,  and  shalve  ihein  before  the  stove, 
or  in  a  well-warmed  chamber  until  dry.  While  drying, 
beat  them  from  time  to  time  upon  the  board,  or  between 
the  hands  to  remove  the  adhering  starcli. 

II.  Prepare  a  lukewarm  bath  acidulated  with  a  few 
drops  of  sulphuric  acid,  so  as  to  give  a  faint  sour  taste, 
to  which  add,  according  to  shade,  solution  of  methyl 
blue  B.  (Actien  Gesellschaft  fuer  Anilin  Fabriliation, 
Berlin).  Enter  tiie  feathers  and  leave  them  in  the  bath 
until  cold,  or  until  uniformly  dyed. 

Note. — Some  dyers  use  alkaline  blue,  which  is  not, 
however,  rccommendable,  because  alkaline  baths,  as 
above  remarked,  are  injurious  to  the  feathers  and  must 
be  avoided  as  much  as  possible. 

III.  Trcpare  bath  of  lukewarm  water,  dis.'^olve  in  it 
about  one-lialf  ounce  tartaric  acid  per  one  quart,  and  add 
one  ounce  indij^o  carmine  per  (piart  of  li<|uid  ;  stir  well, 
enter  the  lentlieis  and  agitate  or  lay  down  in  the  bath 
until  the  required  shade  is  obtained.  This  color  shows 
little  fastness  to  ligiit  and  air,  whicii  can  be  improved, 
however,  by  adding  to  tlie  dye  l»:ith  one-quarter  ounce 


OSTKICH   FEATHER   DYEING.  117 

alum  per  quart.  The  shade  being  obtained,  take  up  the 
feathers  and  pass,  without  rinsing,  through  raw  starch 
milk,  dry  and  beat  as  described. 

Light  blues,  as  is  easy  to  understand,  can  only  be 
dj^ed  upon  white  feathers  for  the  mo?"',  delicate  shades ; 
nearl}^  white,  or  developed  gray  feathers  may  be  used 
for  the  shades  approaching  a  light  medium  blue. 


NAYY  BLUE. 

I.  For  this  color  naturally  gray  or  semi-bleached 
feathers  may  be  used.  It  requires  a  mordant,  like  wool. 
For  this  purpose  prepare  a  bath  of  forty  per  cent,  (of 
the  weight  of  feathers)  tannin  at  167°  F.,  enter  the 
feathers  and  agitate  them  from  time  to  time  for  three 
hours.  Then  take  them  up,  drain  and  squeeze  them  out, 
enter  a  cold  bath  of  pyrolignite  of  iron  (black  liquor) 
marking  5°  B.,  and  work  them  for  half  hour;  take  them 
out,  drain  and  squeeze,  and  then  expose  them,  well 
spread  out  upon  the  strings,  for  one  hour  to  the  action 
of  the  air.  Then  rinse  and  dye  upon  a  fresh  warm  bath 
with  a  mixture  of  aniline  blue  and  a  little  methyl  violet, 
using  about  twenty  per  cent,  of  the  weight  of  feathers. 
Add  the  dj^estuff  in  the  beginning  onl}^  in  small  doses 
and    slowly   in   order  to   prevent   the  production  of  a 


118  OSTUICH    FEATIIEU    DVEIXO. 

bronzy,  uiKlesirahle  lustre  upon  the  stem,  iis  is  often  the 
case  in  dying  with  aniline  dyestufls  if  ihty  are  added  to 
the  bath  in  too  large  doses. 

II.  Prepare  a  hot  bath,  to  which  add  as  much  indigo 
carmine  as  to  bring  the  color  of  the  bath  pretty  near  the 
shade  to  be  produced.  Enter  the  feathers  and  agitate 
them  in  the  bath  for  one  hour.  Then  take  up  the 
feathers,  add  alum  and  a  solution  of  clothblue  S.  to  the 
bath,  re-enter  the  feathers  and  work  them  while  raising 
the  temperature  to  boiling  point,  when  the  steam  or 
gas  is  turned  off,  or  the  pan  removed  from  the  Ore,  and 
the  feathers  allowed  to  lie  for  fifteen  or  twenty  minutes 
longer  in  the  bath.  They  arc  then  taken  out,  rinsed, 
starched  and  dried  and  beaten. 

III.  Have  the  feathers  properly  cleaned  and  well 
rinsed  from  the  soap,  respectively  soda.  Gray  feathers 
may  be  used  unbleached,  but  a  jiurer  color  is  obtained 
upon  them  when  bleached.  Prepare  a  hot  bath,  to 
which  so  much  sulphuric  acid  is  added,  that  it  has  a 
feeble  sour  taste  v  add  the  solution  of  two  per  cent,  (of 
the  weight  of  feathers),  navy  Itliie,  one  per  cent,  fast 
blue  or  black,  and  one cijilith  per  cent,  acid  fuchsine. 
Stir  well,  enter  the  feathers,  manipulate  while  raising 
the  temperature  to  boiling  point,  but  not  to  actual  l>oil- 
ing,  continue  at  this  temperature  for  one  half  hour  ;  then 


OSTRICH  FEATHER  DYEING.  119 

stop  off  the  steam,  lay  the  feathers  down  in  the  bath 
until  cool,  lift  and  dry  as  usual. 


GENDARME   BLUE. 

This  color  requires  a  pure  bottom,  that  is,  naturally 
white  or  bleached.  After  cleaning,  respectively  wash- 
ing in  warm  soap,  which  must  not  even  be  omitted  with 
bleached  feathers,  and  thorough  rinsing,  prepare  a  bath 
and  dye  as  for  dyeing  light  blue  with  indigo  carmine. 
Then  add  some  aniline  green  and  navy  blue  to  the  bath, 
re-enter  the  feathers  which  have  been  taken  up  before 
making  the  addition,  work  them  well  while  raising  the 
temperature  to  the  boiling  point ;  continue  at  this  tem- 
perature for  one-half  hour  longer,  lift,  rinse,  starch  and 
dry  as  usual. 


PLUM   OR   PRUNE. 

I.  For  this  color,  which  has  in  itself  a  subdued  tone 
of  brown,  or  has  the  color  of  gray  ostrich  feathers,  such 
naturally  colored  feathers  may  be  used  unbleached,  but 
well  cleaned  and  rinsed  before  dyeing.  Prepare  a  luke- 
warm bath,  to  which  add  about  one-half  ounce  tartaric 


120  OSTKICIl    FEATHEU    DYEING. 

acid  to  per  quart  of  water  and  solution  ol"  methyl  violet 
6  B.,  according  to  shade,  with  a  little  aniline  ponceau  or 
fast  brown  for  toning.  While  working  the  feathers, 
raise  the  temperature  and  continue  d3'eing  at  nearly 
boiling  for  or.e-half  hour;  then  take  out,  wash  and 
dry. 
Or, 

II.  Prepare  a  boiling  hot  bath  with  alum,  sulphuric 
acid  and  tartar;  to  which  add  acid  fuchsine  ;  enter  the 
feathers,  and  dye  one-half  hour  to  a  blue  red,  which 
tone,  by  the  addition  of  decoction  of  logwood,  continue 
at  nearly  boiling  heat  for  one-half  hour  longer,  lift,  rinse 
lightly,  starch,  beat  and  dry. 

III.  Take  a  hot  bath,  upon  which  violet  has  been 
dyed,  and  refresh  it  with  some  solution  of  methyl  violet, 
5  B.,  and  a  fiw  drops  of  sulphuric  acid,  or  prepare  a 
hot  bath  with  the  same  ingredients,  and  indigo  car- 
mine, according  to  shade  ;  or,  instead  of  indigo  carmine, 
indigo  substitute,  fast  blue  B.  A.,  and  indigotine;  pre- 
ferably, however,  use  indigo  carmine,  which  develops 
more  slowly,  and  therefore  is  surer  to  give  better  results, 
while  the  aniline  dyestuffs  run  up  more  rapidly,  and  are 
apt  to  dye  unevenly,  unless  their  solutions  are  added 
gradually  and  the  feathers  handled  (juickly  and  care- 
fully. 


OSTRICH  FEATHER  DYEING.  121 

LIGHT   YELLOW. 

L  Light  yellow   is    comparatively    very    little    in 
demand  for  ostrich  feathers,  and  scarcely  used  for  trim- 
ming  hats  of  children  and  young  misses  as  a  set-off  for 
other  colors.     To  produce  it,  prepare  a  pretty  hot  bath 
with  a  little   sulphuric  acid,  so  as  to  give  it  a  slightly 
acid  taste,  add  very  little  qulnoline  yellow,  lay  down  the 
feathers  in  the  bath  for  one-half  hour,  turning  and  agi- 
tating  them  from  time  to  time,  lift,  rinse  and  dry.     For 
this  color,  as  well  as  for  light  blues  and  roses,  the  feath- 
ers must  be  perfectly  white.     (For  this  dye  the  quino- 
line  yellow  manufactured  by  the  Actien  Gesellschaft  fuer 
Anilin  Fabrikation,  Berlin,  is  specially  suitable).     As 
the  purity  of  all  light  shades  of  delicate  colors  greatly 
depends  upon  the  purity  of  the  water,  it  is  advisable  to 
bring  the  bath,  before  preparing  it,  to  boil  with  some 
bran  and  chloride  of  tin  and  skim  it  off  well. 


MEDIUM  YELLOW. 

Various  shades  of  yellow  can  also  be  produced  with 
the  old  natural  dyestuffs,  which  are  not,  however,  equal 
m  brilliancy  to  the  foregoing  described  colors.  The 
feathers  must  be  bleached  for  these  as  well  as  for  any 


122  09TUICH    KEATHEK   DYEING. 

clear  color,  wliieh  would  be  luatcriuUy  impaired  by  an 
impure  bottom  ;  still  developed  grays  may  be  employed. 
After  scouring  and  thorougbl}'  rinsing  tbe  feathers,  pre- 
pare a  cold  bath  of  alum,  about  one  ounce  to  one  gallon 
of  clear  water,  or  of  acetic  acid  ;  lay  tbe  feathers  down 
until  well  opened,  so  that  the  liqui<l  can  uniformly  act 
upon  all  parts,  for  one  hour.  Then  take  them  out, 
squeeze  and  centrifugate  them,  and  dye  the  shade  upon 
a  fresh  warm  bath  with  the  required  quantity  of  flavinc, 
decoction  of  color  or  of  fustic;  lift,  rinse  and  starch  as 
usual 

Or,  dissolve  a  sufficient  quantity  of  turmeric  is  boil- 
ing water,  filter  and  enter  the  feathers  while  the  filtrate 
is  still  well  hot.  Agitate  them  for  five  minutes,  then 
take  them  up,  add  to  the  bath  a  small  quantity  of  tar- 
taric acid,  this  to  promote  its  dissolution  ;  then  re-enter 
the  feathers,  work  them  again  for  five  minutes,  lif^,  rinse 
in  cold  water,  and  dr}*. 

If  these  colors  are  to  have  a  light  reddish  or  warmer 
tone,  add,  when  nearly  done,  some  anotto  to  the  dye 
bath. 


DARK  YELLOW. 

Bleached  grays  answer  for  this  color  as  well  as  nat- 
urally white  feathers.     Scour  and  rinse  them  well.     Pre- 


OSTRICH   FEATHEK   DYEI^fG.  123 

pare  a  bath,  feebly  acidulated  with  sulphuric  acid,  and 
add  the  filtered  solution  of  two  and  one-half  per  cent  of 
the  weight  of  feathers,  dark  yellow,  (manufactured  by 
the  Leipziger  Anilin  Fabrik,  formerly  Bayer  &  Kegel). 
Enter  the  feathers  in  the  cold  and  work  them  diligently 
until  the  color  is  well  up,  then  raise  the  temperature 
slowly  to  nO°  F.,  dye  to  shade,  lift,  rinse  in  clear  cold 
water,  starch  and  dry. 

II.  A  new  light  yellow,  which  is  fast  to  light  and  air, 
is  obtained  by  products  of  Leonhardt  &  Co.,  at  Man- 
heim,  viz:  redarine  and  acme  yellow.  Add  to  a  hot 
bath  of  170-190°  F.,  a  quite  small  quantity  of  redarine 
and  still  less  acme  yellow;  enter  the  feathers,  manipu- 
late for  one-half  hour,  take  out,  rinse  and  dry  them  with 
starch,  and  beat  well  out.  This  color  being  extremely 
sensitive,  the  purification  of  the  water  for  the  bath  is  as 
necessary  as  the  most  scrupulous  cleanliness  of  utensils 
and  workshops. 


GOLDEN    YELLOW. 

L  The  feathers  being  scoured  and  rinsed  clean  of 
soap,  prepare  a  bath  of  five  per  cent,  of  the  weight  of 
feathers,  bisulphate  of  soda,  add  solution  (filtei^d)  of 
azo   orange,  according   to   shade.     Enter  the   feathers 


124  06TKICII    KEATIIEU    DYEING. 

at  \'20°  F. ;  heat  up  slowly  to  110"*  F.,  while  working 
the  feathers;  lilt  when  the  shade  is  obtained,  squeeze 
out,  starch  and  dry. 

II.  Prepare  a  bath  with  three  per  cent,  (of  the 
weight  of  the  iVathers)  Glauber  salt  and  one  per  cent, 
sulphuric  acid.  Enter  the  feathers  at  100-120°  F.,  after 
adding  to  the  bath  the  solution  of  one  per  cent,  golden 
yellow  S.  (of  Gust.  Doerr,  Frankfort-on  Main),  work  the 
feathers  repeatedly  during  one  half  hour,  when  they  all 
liave  assumed  a  rich,  nourished  color;  take  up,  rinse 
lightly,  starch  and  beat  them  dry. 


OLD    GOLD. 

ITave  the  naturally  white  or  decolorized  gray  feath- 
ers well  washed  in  soap  and  rinsed  clean  from  it.  Pre- 
pare a  hot  bath  at  170°  F.,  to  -which  add  so  much  ana- 
line  cream  as  to  color  it  dark  reddish  yellow.  Enter 
the  feathers  and  agitate  them  from  five  to  ten  minutes, 
acconling  to  the  shade  desired.  Then  take  them  up, 
add  some  sulphuric  acid  to  the  bath,  re-enter  the  feath- 
ers, work  for  two  minutes;  then  lift,  rinse  and  dry. 
The   bath  can  be  preserved  for  further  use. 


-L... 


OSTRICH    FEATHER   DYEIKG.  125 

GRAY. 

So  unpretending  this  color  appears,  so  difficult  is  it 
to  produce,  and  it  requires  a  considerable  amount  of 
practice  and  good  judgment  to  bring  out  a  good  color 
from  the  beginning,  as  very  little  too  much  or  too  little 
will  spoil  a  color  either  in  tone  or  in  shade.  A  very 
good  logwood  gray,  which  with  proper  attention  seldom 
fails  to  turn  out  satisfactory,  is  made  as  follows  :  Pre- 
pare a  hot  bath,  to  which  add  a  small  quantity  of  decoc- 
tion of  logwood ;  enter  the  feathers  and  work  them  in 
the  bath  for  fifteen  or  twenty  minutes,  according  to 
shade  desired.  Then  take  them  up,  add  to  the  bath 
very  little  pyrolignite  of  iron,  that  is,  only  as  much  as 
to  turn  the  color  of  the  bath ;  re-enter  the  feathers,  agi- 
tate them  again  for  fifteen  or  twenty  minutes  in  the 
liquid  ;  then  lift,  rinse  and  starch  as  usual.  This  color 
might  be  best  described  as  dark  ash  gray.  Instead  of 
pyrolignite  of  iron,  some  solution  of  copperas  may  be 
used.  It  will  be  easily  understood,  that  the  more  con- 
centrated the  decoction  of  logwood  is,  the  darker  turns 
out  the  color,  and  it  is  in  that  respect  particularly  that 
the  dyer  has  to  use  good  judgment  in  producing  shades 
from  silver  gray  to  dark  ash  gray.  This  color,  besides, 
presents  the  advantage,  that  by  topping  it  with  solutions 


118  06TRICU    FEATUEU   DVIONO. 

of  blue,  brown,  yellow  or  green  coal-tar  dyestufls  a  great 
variety  of  mode  colors  can  be  produced. 


PEARL   GKAY. 

After  scouring  and  rinsing  well,  prepare  a  warm 
bath  (100-120°  F.)  with  five  per  cent.,  of  the  weight  of 
feathers,  bisulphate  of  soda,  to  which  add  solution  of 
Victoria  blue  and  of  extract  of  archil,  according  to 
sample.  Acid  violet  may  be  used,  but  requires  a  tem- 
j>erature  near  the  boiling  point,  which  ought  to  be 
avoided  wherever  possible  in  dyeing  ostrich  feathers. 
To  be  on  the  safe  side,  make  the  solutions  of  the  dye- 
stuffs  of  medium  concentration,  use  onl>'  the  clear  of 
them,  or  better  filter  the  same,  and  add  it  slowly  and 
graduall}'  first  in  small  doses,  finally  by  drops,  for  which 
purpose  the  use  of  a  burette  with  squeeze-cock  is  reccm- 
mcndable. 


SILVER  GRAY. 

Scour,  resj)ectively  bleach,  and  rinse  the  feathers 
well  clean,  prepare  a  bath,  work  the  solution  of  five  ]>er 
cent.,  of  the  weight  of  feathers,  silver  gray  (Acteln 
Gesellschaft   fuer   Anilin    Fabrikation,    Berlin),    feebly 


OSTKICH  FEATHEK    DYEING.  127 

acidulated  with  sulphuric  acid ;  enter  the  feathers  iu  the 
cold,  work  well  to  make  the  color  dye  up  evenlj^;  then 
raise  the  temperature  slowly  under  diligent  working,  to 
170°  F  ,  continue  at  this  temperature  for  five  to  ten 
minutes,  lift,  rinse  and  dry. 


BROWK 


The  series  of  brown  colors,  partly  produced  by  com- 
binations of  spectrum  colors,  partly  of  direct  brown 
dyestufls,  presents  a  large  range  of  modifications  and 
shades,  from  a  light  rust  brown  or  buff  to  nearly  black, 
blueisli,  jellowish,  reddish,  olive  brown,  etc.,  and  is  in 
this  respect  only  inferior  to  the  non-desci'ipt  endless 
variety  of  modes.  With  the  exception  of  the  very 
lightest  shades,  which  require  perfectly  white  feathers, 
they  can  be  dyed  upon  half-bleached,  and  the  deeper 
shades  upon  unbleached  gray  feathers;  the  d^-er, 
must,  however,  in  the  latter  case,  bear  in  mind,  that  the 
gray  bottom  color  alwa3's  influences  to  a  certain  degree, 
the  tone  of  the  color  that  is  to  be  dyed  upon  it.  Never- 
theless, as  to  the  proportions  of  the  dyestuffs  to  be  em- 
ployed for  a  given  tone  or  shade  cannot  be  given,  be- 
cause the  tinctorial  value  of  artificial  dj'estufls  is  very 
changeiable  and  not  even  constant  with  the  same  makers. 


128  OSTUICII    KEATHEU    DYEING, 

Experience,  skill  ami  trial  dyes  must,  therefore,  guide 
the  dyer  in  composing  the  baths  for  browns  as  well  as 
for  modes,  the  majority  of  the  latter  being  modifications 
of  brown.  In  general  the  following  may  be  ob- 
served : 

I.  After  scouring  the  feathers  and  rinsing  them  per- 
fectly clean  of  the  scouring  material,  whether  soap  or 
soda,  prepare  a  bath  of  170  to  190°  F.,  to  which  add 
fifteen  per  cent,,  of  the  weight  of  feathers,  bisulphatc  of 
soda,  indigo  carmine,  extract  of  archil  and  azo  j'ellow. 

According  to  the  proportionally  greater  or  smaller 
quantity  of  either  d3'cstufr  added  to  the  dyebath  either 
browns  are  obtained,  or  olives,  Russia  green,  reseda,  or 
a  variet}'  of  modes.  The  trouble  with  all  colors  into 
whose  compositions  indigo  carmine  enters  is,  that  this 
dyestuff  rccpiires  a  comparatively  high  temperature  to 
run  lip,  preferably  a  boiling  bath,  which,  however,  is 
decidedly  objectionable  with  ostrich  feathere.  To 
avoid  this  difficulty,  the  new  acid  Victoria  blue  is  used 
instead  of  indigo  carmine,  and  fuchsine  S.  instead  of 
extract  of  :ueliil.  Victoria  blue  dyes  up  readily  at  a 
moderate  temperature. 

II.  The  feathers  being  scoured  and  rinsed  clean,  pre- 
pare a  boiling  bath  with  so  much  sulphuric  acid  as  to 
give  a  feebly  sour    taste,  and  add  fast  aniline  brown. 


OSTRICH  FEATHER   DYEING.  129 

turmeric,  and  indigo  carmine  or  cloth-blue  S.,  according 
to  the  tone  and  shade  desired.  Prepare  the  bath  so 
that  it  shows  exactly  this  tone  of  color  which  is  to  be 
dyed,  and  bring  it  to  boil  in  order  to  produce  a  perfect 
mixture  of  the  three  dyestuffs,  or  rather  their  filtered 
solutions.  Then  chill  the  bath  to  about  120°  F.^  enter 
the  feathers,  while  raising  the  temperature  in  about  fif- 
teen minutes  to  near  the  boiling  point ;  then  dye  to 
shade,  lift,  rinse  and  dr}'. 

It  is  advisable,  in  order  to  obtain  a  level  dj'e,  to  add 
not  the  whole  amount  of  dyestuff  solution  required  at 
one  time,  but  at  least  in  two  times ;  which  rule 
altogether  applies  to  all  aniline  d3"estuffs,  more  or  less, 
as  they  mostly  run  up  very  rapidly  and  are  apt,  there- 
fore, to  give  uneven  d^'es. 

If  a  j'ellowish  tint  is  wanted^  use  a  little  azo  yellow 
or  azo  orange;  picric  acid,  which  was  formerly  very 
freel3'^  used  for  this  purpose,  has  been  almost  entirely 
abandoned. 


LIGHT   BROWK 

Clean  and  rinse  them  as  usual,  prepare  a  bath  of 
110-190°  F.,  with  redarine,  a  trace  of  orange  0,  and 
some  acid  green ;  enter  feathers  and  work  for  one-half 


130  OSTIUCII    KEATIIEK    UVEIXG. 

liour,  then  lift,  rinse  and  dry.  By  varying  the  proi>or- 
tions  of  dyestuffs, a  series  of  modes  is  obtainable.  (I^ye- 
stuffs  manufactured  by  Leonhardt  &  Co.,  of  Mannheim). 


KUST   BROWN. 

Prepare  a  slightly  acidulated  warm  bath  with  three 
per  cent.,  of  the  weight  of  feathers,  fast  aniline  brown, 
one  per  cent,  azo  yellow,  one  percent,  extract  of  indigo, 
and  a  little  siilphuric  aci<l  ;  enter  the  well  scoured  and 
rinsed  feathers  at  120-140°  F.,  work  the  feathers  for 
one-half  hour,  while  slowly  raising  the  temperature  to 
the  boiling  point;  continue  dyeing  at  that  degree  of 
heal,  but  not  boiling,  for  live  minutes;  lilt,  rinse,  starch 
and  dr^'. 


RED   BROWX. 

I.  Scour  and  rinse  well  ;  prepare  a  warm  bath,  in 
which  dissolve  three  per  cent.,  of  the  weight  of  feathers, 
alum,  add  twenty-five  per  cent,  extract  of  archil,  one 
and  one  half  per  cent,  azo  yellow,  and  if  required  for 
sh.ide,  one-half  per  cent,  indigo  carmine  ;  enter  at  170° 
F.,  dye  to  shade  while  slowly  raising  the  temiwrature  to 
near  the  l)oiling  point,  continue  at  that  temperature  for 
ten  to  fifteen  minutes  longer ;  then  lift,  rinse  and  di;. 


OSTRICH    FEATHER   DYEING.  131 

Instead  of  indigo  carmine,  cloth-blue  S.  may  be  used, 
i)i  which  case  enter  at  120°  and  raise  the  temperature 
slowly,  not  above  190°  F.     Or, 

II.  Prepare  a  bath  at  190°  F.,  add  five  per  cent,  bi- 
sulphate  of  soda,  when  dissolved,  add  solution  of  ex- 
tract of  archil,  fast  j'ellow  and  indigo  carmine  as  re- 
quired for  the  shade,  and  dye  at  that  temperature  to 
sample.  Instead  of  ai'chil,  any  red  or  orange  azo  dye- 
stuff  may  be  used,  preferably  bordeaux. 


COFFEE  BROWN. 

Have  the  feathers  will  cleaned  and  rinsed,  bleaching 
being  not  required,  prepare  a  bath  with  three  per  cent, 
alum  (of  the  weight  of  feathers),  at  170°  F.,  add  indigo 
carmine,  bordeaux  and  azo  yellow,  according  to  sample, 
and  dye  to  shade  while  slowly  raising  the  temperature 
to  near  the  boiling  point,  but  bring  not  to  boil,  but  con- 
tinue until  the  indigo  carmine  is  well  up.  A  less  fast 
color  is  obtained  with  archil,  indigo  carmine  and  picric 
acid.  When  finished  dj^eing,  rinse,  starch  and  dry  as 
usual. 

The  dyestuffs  for  brown  being  nearly  the  same  for 
all  shades,  while  the  depth  and  tone  of  the  color  is  pro- 
duced by  differently  proportioning  the  quantities  of  the 


132  OSTUKII    KKATIIKU    l>VEINO. 

diflerent  d^-estufls  nnd  the  time  of  dyeing,  it  is  advanta- 
geous to  have  the  solutions  of  dyestuffs  near  b}-  on 
hand  ;  it  is  advisable,  however,  if  good  work  is  intended, 
to  always  filter  before  using  solution -i  which  have  been 
standing  for  some  time.  This  precaution  is  necessary, 
because  from  most  solutions,  if  allowed  to  stand  for  a 
day  or  longer,  some  dyestufl' which  was  not  dissolved 
but  only  suspended  in  the  liquid,  separates  out  forming 
a  more  or  loss  copious  sediment  which,  if  tt  passes  into 
the  dyo  bath,  settles  tipon  the  feathers  causing  spots  or 
streaks  of  a  <lifrerent  shade  than  the  rest  of  the  feathers. 


PUCE. 


Scour  and  rinse  the  feathers  well ;  gra3'8  can  be  used 
in  their  natural  color  without  bleaching.  Prepare  a 
warm  bath,  in  which  dissolve  eighty  per  cent.,  of  the 
weight  of  feathers,  Uirtaric  acid  and  eighty  per  cent. 
Glauber  salt ;  then  ad«l  sixteen  per  cent,  aniline  fast 
brown,  eight  per  cent.  az<>  yellow,  and  sixteen  per  cent. 
in<luline  or  nigrosine,  and  bring  the  bath  to  a  boil ;  after 
a  few  minutes  of  l)oiling,  chill  by  the  addition  of  cold 
water,  enter  the  feathers  and  work  them  at  hand-heat 
for  fifteen  or  twenty  minutes  until  the  color  has  become 
level;  then    bring   the   bath  again  to  near  the  boiling 


OSTRICH  FEATHER   DYEING.  I33 

point ;  lay  the  feathers  down  in  the  bath,  shut  off  the 
steam,  or  withdraw  from  the  fire,  and  let  the  bath  cool 
down.  When  cold,  that  is  in  about  one  or  two  hours, 
take  out  the  feathers,  rinse  and  dry. 


FAWN. 


Prepare  a  warm  bath  with  five  per  cent,  bisulphate 
of  soda,  add  solutions  of  azo  orange,  acid  violet  and 
some  archil  cautiously  in  several  doses  until  the  bath 
has  the  desired  color.  Enter  the  scoured  and  rinsed 
feathers  and  agitate  for  fifteen  or  twenty  minutes,  to 
produce  a  level  dye  ;  then  raise  the  temperature  slowly 
to  190-200°  F.,  dye  for  a  few  minutes  longer,  lift,  rinse 
and  dry. 

By  varying  the  proportions  of  the  dyestuflfs,  drab, 
wood  brown,  lead  color,  etc.,  can  be  obtained,  and  olives 
by  increasing  the  quantity  of  acid  violet  and  omitting 
the  extract  of  archil. 


CHESTNUT  BROWN. 

Scour  and  rinse  the  feathers  well ;  natural  grays  may 
be  used  unbleached.  Prepare  a  decoction  of  one  and 
one  quarter  pound  cudbear,  and  six  ounces  turmeric  in 


134  OSTUILll    FEATIIEK    l>VEIXO. 

two  gallons  of  water,  strain  through  a  cloth  and  enter 
the  leathers  at  hand  heat  (about  90-100°  F.) ;  work 
them  for  twenty  or  thirty  minutes,  or  until  they  have 
attained  a  nourished  garnet  color.  Then  take  them  out, 
rinse,  lay  thcin  down  for  five  minutes  in  a  cold  solution 
of  about  six  ounces  copperas  in  one-half  gallon  of  water, 
take  tbem  up  and  rinse  in  cold  water.  Then  return  to 
the  first  bath,  operate  for  fifteen  minutes  at  hand  heat, 
enter  again,  after  rinsing,  the  iron  bath,  and  continue 
alternately  dj'eing  upon  the  two  baths  until  the  recjuired 
shade  is  obtained.  Rinse  every  time  on  shifting  from 
one  bath  to  the  other,  in  clean  water,  and  finally  rinse 
well,  starch  and  dry. 


HAYANNA. 

I.  For  this  color  it  is  advisable  to  use  naturally 
white  or  bleached  feathers,  scour  or  wash  them  clean  in 
soap  and  warm  water  and  remove  the  soap  b}-  thor- 
oughly rinsing  in  two  warm  and  one  cold  waters.  Pre- 
pare a  bath  slightly  acidulated  with  sulphuric  acid,  to 
which  add  eighty  per  cent.,  of  the  weight  of  feathers, 
tartaric  acid,  eight  per  cent,  azo  yellow,  six  per  cent 
fast  brown,  and  three  and  a  quarter  per  cent,  acid  green. 
Enter  the   feathers  nt   100-120°  F..  and  manipulate  at 


OSTRICH  FEATHER  DYEING.  135 

that  temperature  for  ten  or  fifteen  minutes.  Then 
raise  the  temperature  to  the  boiling  point  (but  do  not 
boil),  lay  the  feathers  down  in  the  bath  for  one-half  to 
one  hour,  while  the  bath  cools  down,  lift,  starch  and 
finish  as  usual. 

II.  Prepare  a  bath  slightly  acidulated  with  sulphuric 
acid,  bring  to  nearly  boiling,  add  a  concentrated  solu- 
tion  of  orange  S.  and  some  acid  green,  enter  the  feathers 
and  dye  to  shade ;  then  pass  them  through  a  week  oil- 
bath,  and  dry  them,  placed  straight  between  several 
laps  of  clean  muslin. 

Ill  Prepare  a  bath  of  the  decoction  of  twelve  and  a 
half  per  cent.,  of  the  weight  of  feathers,  alum  and 
twenty  five  per  cent,  turmeric  ;  strain,  enter  the  feathers 
at  170-190°  F.,  and  let  them  lie  in  the  bath  over  night. 
On  the  following  day  dye,  at  100''  F.,  with  decoction  of 
fustet,  tone  with  decoction  of  logwood  or  of  brazil,  ac- 
cording to  sample,  starch  and  dry. 


MUSHROOM. 

I.  For  this  elegant  color  take  naturally  white  or 
bleached  gray  feathers,  scour  and  rinse  them  well. 
Prepare  a  hot  bath  with  five  per  cent.,  of  the  weight  of 
feathers,  bisulphate  of  soda,  to  which  add,  as  required, 


136  OSTKICII    FKATHER    DYEINO. 

Oltered  solutions  of  fast  yellow,  iiKligo  carmine  and  jjon- 
ceau  Q.  Enter  the  feathers  at  170"  F.,  work  them  for 
ten  or  Gfleen  minutes  and  raise  the  temi>emture  slowl}' 
to  near  the  boiling  point.  Add  the  dyesluffs  in  small 
quantities  griiduuily,  making  the  ailditions  only  when 
tlie  dyestuffof  the  bath  has  been  completely  absorbed, 
and  then  by  drops  so  as  to  l>e  able  to  correct  the  color 
without  waste  of  dyestud  Bear  in  mind,  that  the  in- 
digo carmine  d3'es  up  8lowl3'  and  requires  a  high 
tiniperature.  An  easier  process  is,  therefore,  the  fol- 
lowing: 

II.  After  cleaning  and  rinsing  well,  prepare  a  iMith 
at  no**  F.,  with  four  per  cent,  bisulpnate  of  soda,  to 
which  add  gradually  in  small  quantities,  as  required, 
some  nigrosine,  azo  orange  and  a  little  mandarin  or  ni- 
grosine,  alkaline  blue  and  fuchsinc  S.,  rinse,  starch  and 
dry. 


LIGHT  DRAB. 


Scour  and  rinse  the  feathers  as  usual ;  bleached 
grays  may  be  used.  Prepare  a  bath  with  five  per  cent., 
of  the  weight  of  feathers,  bisulphate  of  soda  and  the 
clear  solutions  of  acid  violet,  azo  orange  and  fuchsine 
S. ;  add  the  dyestuff  in  small  portions  and  Gnally  by 


OSTRICH  FEATHER    DYEING.  137 

drops,  until  the  bath  has  the  desired  shade  of  color; 
then  enter  the  feathers  and  dye  at  ITO-^  F.  to  sample, 
squeeze  or  centrifugate,  starch  and  dry. 


BEIGE. 


I.  For  this  color  take  either  naturally  white  or  well- 
bleached  gray  feathers,  scour  or  wash  and  rinse  them 
clean.  Prepare  pretty  thin  solutions  of  aniline  orange 
(chrysaniline)  and  violet,  add  very  little  of  them  at  a 
lime  and  finally  by  drops  to  the  dyestuffs  containing 
either  five  per  cent,  bisulphate  of  soda  or  a  small  dose 
of  sulphuric  acid  ;  enter  the  feathers  at  145°  F.  and  dye 
to  shade  at  the  same  temperature,  which  will  require 
about  twenty  or  thirty  minutes  ;  lift,  rinse,  squeeze  and 
starch. 

II.  Have  the  feathers  well  cleaned,  respectively 
bleached,  and  rinsed.  Prepare  a  hot  bath  (170-190° 
F.),  with  a  little  sulphuric  acid,  just  enough  to  give  it  a 
slightly  sour  taste,  add  a  few  drops  of  solution  of  fast 
brown  and  a  little  more  solution  of  acid  green  (both 
dyestuffs  of  the  Farbwerke,  formerly  Meister,  Lucius  & 
Bruening,  Hoechst-on-Main) ;  take  of  them  one  or 
two  drops,  respectively  two  or  three  drops  per  gallon  of 
water  for  a  light  shade  and  increase  quantities  propor- 


1S8  OSTRICH   FEATHER    DYEING. 

tionally  for  darker  shatles.  llinse  after  dying,  starch 
and  dr}'. 

III.  Take  white  feathers  or  grays  very  well  bleached 
to  nearly  white,  scour  and  rinse  them  well.  Prepare  a 
bath  of  warm  water,  100-120"  F.  and  some  vinegar  so 
as  to  give  it  a  distinct  sour  taste  ;  adtl  to  a  basin  full,  or 
about  one-half  gallon  of  the  l)ath  a  little  solution  of  fast 
brown,  one  or  two  drops  of  indigo  carmine,  and  a  trace 
of  turmeric.  Lay  the  feathers  down  in  the  bath  for  fif- 
teen or  twent}'  minutes  and  agitate  them  repeatedly  in 
the  liquid  to  make  them  level. 

For  a  Gray  Beige,  add  a  little  nigrosine  to  the  bath 
and  proceed  as  above. 


MODES. 


For  the  modes  it  is  impossible  to  give  generally  ap 
plicable  directions,  as  these  colors  are  of  an  indefinitely 
varying  character,  consisting  in  mo<1ifications  of  other 
com|>ound  or  mixed  colors  which  are  affected  by  somi- 
times  very  trifling,  unmcasureable  additions  of  a  toning 
dyestufl,  and  coloring  effects  are  produced  which  cannot 
be  described  nor  defined  by  names,  but  must  be  judged 
by  the  exi)erienced  eye  of  the  dyer.  Most  o(  these 
colors  are  derived  from  grays  or  browns  as  above  re- 


OSTRICH  FEATHER  DYEING.  139 

marked,  aud  the  safest  way  for  the  dyer  is,  to  begin 
dyeing  with  light  shades  of  the  prevalent  characterisUc 
color  and  give  them  the  peculiar  tone  by  the  addition  of 
other  colors  by  drops.  The  proportions  of  dyestuffs 
thus  ascertained  for  light  shades,  are  then  easy  to  in- 
crease  for  deeper  shades.  It  needs  not  to  be  remarked, 
that  for  these  colors  the  feathers  must  be  bleached,  es- 
pecially for  light  and  medium  shades,  and  that,  if  un- 
bleached,  grays  are  to  be  dyed  in  dark  shades,  the  effect 
of  the  natural  color  must  be  considered  in  composin<. 
the  dye.  ^^ 

In  general  all  modes  are  dyed  npon  a  bath  which  is 
acidulated  with  bisulphate  of  soda,  with  azo  orange,  azo 
yellow,  azo  brown,  acid  violet,  indigo  carmine"  solid 
blue  or  cloth  blue,  induline  or  nigrosine,  archil  or  acid 
fuchsine  For  brown  modes,  solution  of  Bismarck 
brown  may  be  added  at  the  beginning,  in  which  case  the 
other  dyestuffs  serve  only  for  giving  the  peculiar 
tone. 

For  a  yellowish  green  mode  take  orange  0,  azo 
yellow,  and  solid  blue  (fast  blue)  ;  for  darker  shades 
add  a  little  violet  6B.,  ora  few  drops  sulphate  of  in- 
digo.  If  alizarine  dyestuffs  are  to  be  employed,  use 
tartaric  acid  as  mordant,  but  for  neutral  dyestuffs'  add 
also  a  little  alum  to  the  dyebath. 


140  06TBICn  FEATUEK    DYEING. 

For  gray  modes  use  the  same  dyestuffs  as  above, 
excepting  the  orange,  instead  of  which  a  blue-red  dye- 
stuff  is  to  be  employed,  such  as  azo  rubine,  bordeaux, 
fuchsine,  etc.,  with  the  addition  of  a  little  acid  green. 
The  bath  must  be  acidulateil  with  a  little  sulphuric  acid, 
or  better  with  tartaric  acid,  or  tartaric  acid  and  alum, 
and  after  dyeing  the  feathers  must  be  rinsed,  starched 
and  dried  as  usual. 

For  particularly  fast  modes  add  only  tartaric  acid 
to  the  dycbath  and  no  alum,  and  a  few  drops  of  solution 
of  thio-scarlet,  thio-rubinc,  and  thio-brown  ;  for  graj'S 
add  a  little  azo  3'ellow  and  sadden  with  solid  blue. 
Alum  does  not  agree  with  the  thio  dyestuffs  which  are 
manufactured  by  D.-ihl  &  Co.,  Barmin,  and  are  fast 
against  soap  and  light.  Feathers  dyed  with  these  dye- 
stuffs  Vhich  have  become  soiled,  can  be  washed,  there- 
fore, with  neutral  soap  without  injury  to  the  color,  but 
must  naturally  be  dressed  anew. 


RESEDA. 


Scour  the  white,  respectively  bleached  feathers  and 
rinse  well.  Prepare  a  bath  with  five  per  cent.,  of  the 
weight  of  feathers,  bisulphate  of  soda,  to  which  add 
gradually    and   carefully    the    filtered    solution   of  acid 


OSTRICH  FEATHER   DYEING.  141 

Violet,  fast  yellow  and  fuchsine  S.,  making  the  additions 
from  the  beginning  in  small  quantities  only,  until  the 
desired  tone  and  shade  are  obtained  ;  then  enter  and 
work  the  feathers  to  sample  at  173°  F. 

It  is  for  this  dye  particularly  important  that  the  bi- 
sulphate  of  soda  used  be  crystallized,  that  is,  pure  bi- 
sulphate  free  from  surplus  sulphuric  acid,  while  the 
commercial  article  is  often  nothing  but  a  mixture  of 
Glauber  salt  (sulphate  of  soda)  into  sulphuric  acid, 
answer  for  this  dye. 

A  good  reseda  is  also  easily  obtained  by  adding  to 
the  acidulated  bath  small  quantities  of  decoction  of  log- 
wood and  turmeric,  so  as  to  give  a  feeble  bath.  Enter 
the  scoured  and  bleached  feathers,  after  rinsing,  at  170° 
F.,  work  them  for  about  fifteen  minutes,  until  level,  and 
sadden  with  a  little  solution  of  blue  stone.  Rinse, 
starch  and  drv  as  usual. 


ORDINARY   GREEK 

For  two  and  one-half  pounds  of  feathers  boil  two 
and  one-half  pounds  of  fustic  for  one-half  hour  with 
three  quarts  of  water,  pour  the  decoction  off  and  boil 
the  chips  again  for  one  half  hour  with  three  quarts  of 
water,  mix  the  two  decoctions  and  strain.     Add  three 


142  OSTKICU   FEATUEU   DYEING. 

ounces  alum  and  one  anil  one-half  ounces  tartar,  enter 
the  feathers  well  scoured  and  rinsed,  and  dye  to  shade 
at  no*'  F.  Or,  prepare  the  dyestuffs  of  decoction  of 
lustic  or  turmeric,  and  indigo  carmine,  according  to 
shade,  enter  at  170°  F.,  work  for  one-half  hour  while 
slowly  raising  the  temperature  to  near  the  boiling 
point,  and  dye  to  sample ;  lift,  rinse,  squeeze  and  starch 
as  usual. 


LIGHT  GREEN. 

I.  Scour,  respectively  bleach,  and  rinse  the  feathers 
Prepare  a  hot  bath  with  the  solution  of  fort}*  per  cent., 
of  the  weight  of  feathers,  tannin,  and  treat  the  feathers 
in  it  for  1  hour  at  170°F.  Prepare  p  bath  with  a  filtered 
solution  of  meth3'l  green,  according  to  shade,  tone,  if  a 
yellowish  green  is  wanted,  with  the  clear  solution  of 
picric  acid,  ami  dye  to  sample  at  150^^  F.  Lift,  squeeze 
and  starch  without  rinsing. 

n.  A  l)etter  color  is  obtained  upon  a  lightly  acidu- 
lated bath  (with  sul|)huric  acid)  with  acid  green,  mala- 
chite green,  fast  green,  etc.,  that  is,  with  the  filtered  solu- 
tions of  these  dycstutl's,  added  to  the  bath  in  quantities 
of  from  ten  to  twenty  per  cent,  to  suit  the  shade. 
Enter  at   170°  F. ;  dye  for  twenty  or  thirty    minutes. 


OSTRICH    FEATHER  DYEING.  I43 

lift,  rinse,  squeeze  and  dry  witli  starch.  If  a  yellowish 
tone  is  wanted,  add  the  clear  solution  of  picric  acid,  or 
of  acid  yellow. 


MOSS  GREEN. 

Scour  and  rinse  the  feathers  well ;  for  dark  shades 
Unbleached  grays  may  be  used.  Prepare  a  feebly  acid- 
Ulated  bath  with  sulphuric  acid,  at  a  temperature  near 
the  boiling  point ;  add  turmeric  freely  and  Guinea  green 
G  less.  Enter  the  feathers  and  manipulate  at  the  same 
temperature  for  fifteen  or  twenty  minutes,  accordin<y  to 
the  desired  tone,  re  enter  and  dye  to  shade. 

By  varying  the  proportions  of  the  three  dyestuffs,  a 
great  variety  of  green-brownish  modes  can  be  produced, 
which  approach  medium  and  dark  bronzes  the  more  the 
fast  brown  predominates  in  the  composition  of  the 
color. 


BOG  GREEN. 

This  color  is  preferably  dyed  upon  unbleached  gray 
feathers.  Scour  and  rinse  them,  prepare  a  decoction  of 
green  walnut  husks  or  of  sumac  ;  lay  the  feathers  down 
in  it  for  two  hours,  working  them  from  time  to  time  ; 


144  OSTKICII    FEATHER   DYEING. 

then  add  some  decoction  of  logwood  and  dye  to  ^Ijude 
at  170°  F.,  or  indigo  carmine  and  dye  to  shade  wliile 
slowly  raising  the  temperature  to  near  the  boiling  point. 
Rinse,  squeeze,  starch  and  dry. 


GRASS  GREEN. 

Scour,  respectively  bleach,  and  rinse  the  feathers. 
Prepare  a  boiling  bath  with  turmeric  and  indigo  car- 
mine ;  chill,  enter  the  feathers  at  170°  F.,  dye  for  one^ 
half  hour,  raise  the  temperature  slowly  to  near  the  boil- 
ing point  and  d3'e  to  shade,  take  up,  rinse  and  pass 
through  a  handwarm  bath  of  tartar;  lift,  squeeze, 
starch  and  dry. 


RUSSIA  GREEN. 

I.  Scour  the  feathers  as  usual  and  rinse  well.  Pre- 
pare a  bath  slightly*  acidulated  with  sulphuric  acid,  add 
two  per  cent.,  of  the  weight  of  feathers,  acid  green  and 
one  per  cent,  aniline  navy  blue  dissolved  in  warm  water 
and  filtered  acid,  according  to  sample,  some  filtered  de- 
coction of  turmeric  or  solution  of  fast  yellow.  Dye  at 
170°  F.  to  shade,  lift  rinse  and  dry  with  starch. 

II.  Have  the  feathers  well  cleaned  and  rinsed.  Pre- 
pare a  bath  twenty  per  cent.,  of  the  weight  of  feathers, 


OSTRICH  FEATHER   DYEING.  145 

new  green,  eight  per  cent,  canarine,  sixteen  per  cent. 
aniline  blue  black,  sixty  per  cent,  alum,  and  one-quarter 
litre  sulphuric  acid  (for  two  and  a  half  pounds  of 
feathers).  Bring  the  bath  to  a  brisk  boil,  then  chill 
with  cold  water,  enter  the  feathers  and  work  them  for 
one  hour ;  finally  sadden  and  tone  b}'  adding  some  de- 
coction of  fustic  and  of  logwood.  Lift,  rinse,  squeeze, 
starch  and  dry. 

III.  Prepare  a  sharp  hot  bath  with  a  little  sulphuric 
acid;  add  Guinea  green,  according  to  shade,  and  tone 
by  the  addition  of  indigo  carmine  and  turmeric ;  for 
very  deep  shades  add  also  some  nigrosine  or  fast  blue- 
black,  dissolved  and  filtered.  Enter  as  hot  as  the 
feathers  can  be  handled,  work  for  one  half  hour  ;  then 
raise  the  temperature  slowl}^  to  near  the  boiling  point 
and  dye  to  shade. 

The  bath  for  deeper  shades  being  not  exhausted  can 
be  preserved  for  further  use,  refreshed  by  suitable  addi- 
tions of  dyestuffs  as  required,  but  caution  must  be  used 
as  regards  the  subsequent  additions  of  sulphuric  acid, 
that  not  so  much  be  added  as  to  injui-e  the  feathers. 

For  Russia  green,  especially  the  darker  shades  of  it, 
natui-ally  gray  and  even  black  feathers  can  be  used  un- 
bleached. 


146  OSTRICH    FEATHER   DYEIXO. 


ROSE. 


I.  For  this  delicate  color,  as  well  as  for  the  lightest 
shades  of  blue  and  pure  yellow,  absolutely  white  feath- 
ers must  l>e  used  ;  scour  them  carefully  and  rinse  them 
perfectU'  clean  from  soap  or  soda,  and  have  the  dye- 
stutls  well  distsolved  and  the  solutions  filtered.  Prepare 
a  handwtirm  biitb  with  a  little  tartaric  acid  or  acetic 
acid,  to  which  some  solution  of  eosine,  rhodamine.  azo- 
eosine,  safranine,  coccine  or  ponceau  G  R.  B.  or  ponceau 
R,  R.  Be  p.irticularly  cautious  in  adding  the  dyestuff 
solutions  gradually  in  small  quantities,  even  by  drops, 
to  avoid  over-<lyeing,  as  by  partly  8tri|)ping  of  a  too 
dark  shade,  a  fine  color  can  never  Ik?  obtained,  and  the 
nature  of  the  material  demands  that  all  unnecessar}* 
handling  be  avoided.  After  dyeing,  rinse  lightly,  pass 
through  starch  and  dry.  The  dyes  with  the  ponceaus 
are  faster  than  those  with  eosine  or  safranine. 

II.  Prepare  a  bath  at  hand  heat  with  carthamine 
(extract  of  safllower),  well  dissolved  and  filtered,  which 
add  very  gradually  in  small  quantities,  taking  up  the 
feathers  each  time  l>efore  making  a  fresh  addition,  until 
the  desired  shade  is  nearly  obtained,  then  add  a  little 
tartaric  acid  to  the  bath,  re-enter  the  feathers  and  dye 
to  shade  ;  or  d3'e  first  to  shade  upon  the  safllower  bath. 


OSTRICH  FEATHER  DYEING.  147 

and  then  pass  through  a  fresh,  handwarm  feeble  bath  of 
tartaric  acid,  which  in  this  case  can  be  used  again  for 
other  colors,  either  as  a  fixing  bath  or  in  the  composi- 
tion of  the  dye  bath. 


RED. 

Scour  and  rinse  the  feathers  well;  grays  must  be 
bleached  as  near  to  white  as  possible,  and  these  ought 
only  to  be  dyed  dark  shades  of  red.  Prepare  a  bath 
with  twenty  per  cent.,  of  the  weight  of  feathers,  bisul- 
phate  of  soda,  and  see,  as  in  all  cases,  that  it  is  well 
crystallized  and  dry.  (Never  use  the  article  when  it 
looks  decayed,  forms  lumps  or  is  moist).  Add  four  to 
six  per  cent,  azo  red,  according  to  the  shade  wanted, 
raise  the  temperature  to  1*70°  F.,  enter  the  feathers  and 
work  to  shade  ;  take  out,  starch  and  dr}'. 


FAST  ALIZARINE   RED. 

I.  Scour  and  rinse  the  white,  respectively 
bleached  gray,  feathers  and  prepare  a  bath  of  boiling 
water  with  eight  per  cent.,  of  the  weight  of  feathers, 
alum,  four  per  cent,  tartaric  acid,  two  or  three  per  cent, 
oxalic  acid,  and  three  per  cent,  alizarine  red  ;  let  the 


148  OSTRICH   FEATUER    DYEIXO. 

bath  boil  for  fifteen  minutes,  then  let  the  temperature 
go  down  just  below  the  boiling  point.  Lay  down  the 
feathers  in  the  bath,  which  keep  at  near  the  boiling 
point  for  at  least  one  hour  before  allowing  it  to  go 
down  to  hand-heat;  then  continue  for  two  or  three 
hours  longer,  agitating  the  feathers  from  time  to  time; 
lift,  rinse,  starch  and  dry. 

By  using  alizarine  acid  2  A.  bl.  bl.,  a  pure  red,  simi- 
lar to  Turkey  red  is  obtained.  Alizarine  1  W.  S.  gives 
scarlets.  If  the  feathers  are  passed,  before  rinsing, 
through  a  strong  soap  bath,  pretty  blue  tones  are  pro- 
duced. 

II.  For  a  fuller  red,  striking  towards  bordeau,  pre- 
pare a  well  concentrated  boiling  batli  in  the  same  manner 
with  three  per  cent,  bichromate  of  potash,  one  and  one- 
half  to  two  per  cent,  tartaric  acid,  one  per  cent,  oxalic 
acid,  and  eight  per  cent,  alizarine  red  2  A.  bl.  bl.  When 
all  is  dissolved,  let  the  temperature  go  down  l>elow  the 
boiling  point,  enter  the  feathers,  and  proceed  as 
above. 


SCARLET. 


I.  For  this  color  naturally  white  feathers  are  prefer- 
ably used,  but  well   bleached  grays   nmy   also  be   cm- 


OSTRICH  FEATHER    DYEINO. 


149 


ployed;  scour  and  rinse  well.     Then  fill  your  pan  with 
boiling    water,  add  a  few  handfuls  of  bran,  let  it  well 
boil  up,  remove  the  bran  from  the   bath  and  rub  the 
feathers  in  the  bath  as   in   washing;  then   pass   them 
three   times   through    clean,    cold    water.     While    the 
feathers   are   draining,  prepare  another   fresh   bath   of 
lukewarm  water,  to  which  add  a  little  chloride  of  tin 
and,  for  one  pound  of  feathers,  about  two  pinches  of 
starch  and  ninety  grammes   cochineal;  then  bring  the 
bath  to  boil  and  let  it  gently  boil  for  eight  or  ten  min- 
utes,  shut  off  the  steam  or  remove  the  pan  from  the  fire 
let  It  stand  for  a  few  minutes.     Then  lay  the  feathers' 
down  in  the  bath,  taking  care  that  thev  are  well  kept 
down  in  the  liquid,  work  for  twenty  minutes  diligently 
then  let  them  lodge  in  the  bath  for  six  to  eight  hourV 
As   the   combination  of  cochineal   and  the  chloride  is 
readily  oxydized  and  changed  to  violet  by  the  oxygen 
of  the  air,  it  is  advisable  to  dye  in  a  tinned  pan  with 
cover  to  shut  out  the  air. 

Then  pass  through  three  lukewarm  waters,  the  last 
of  which  contains  a  little  chloride  of  tin  and  about  a 
pinch  of  cream  of  tartar. 

11.  Prepare  a  hot  bath  with  twenty  per  cent,  (of  the 
weight  of  feathers)  bisulphate  of  soda,  well  crystallized 
and  dry,  and  four  to  six  per  cent,  azo  red,  according  to 


150  OSTRICH    FEATHER    DYEINO. 

shade.     Enter  the  feathers  at  170°  F.,  dye  to  sample  in 
fifteen  or  twenty  minutes,  lift,  starch  and  dry. 

According  to  the  brand  of  azo  red  which  is  used, 
either  scarlet  or  ponceau  is  obtained.  By  mixing  the 
various  brands  of  azo  red,  a  very  fine  ponceau  is  pro. 
duced.  If  a  very  blue  tone  is  desired,  add  to  the  bath 
some  solution  of  coccinine  (azo  red  blue  touch). 


PONCEAU. 


I.  Scour  and  rinse  the  white,  respective!}*  bleached 
feathers  well.  Prepare  a  nearly  boiling  bath,  acidulated 
with  sulphuric  acid,  to  which  simply  add  ponceau  R.  R. 
extra.  Enter  the  feathers,  operate  at  boiling  heat  one- 
half  hour,  then  lay  down  the  feathers  and  let  them 
lodge  until  level ;  lift,  rinse,  starch  and  dry. 

II.  Prepare  a  sharp  hnndwarra  bath  with  one  per 
cent,  tartaric  acid  (of  the  weight  of  leathers),  or  with 
one  per  cent.  Glauber  salt  and  one-fourth  per  cent,  sul- 
phuric acid,  to  which  add  the  filtered  solutions  of  pon- 
ceau H.  B.,  ponceau  G  R.  B.,  and  eosine  S.  extra  B. 
Enter  the  feathers  and  agitate  for  twenty  to  tliirty  min- 
utes, or  until  the  desired  shade  is  obtained ;  lift,  rinse, 
starch  and  dry. 


OSTKICII  FBATUEK  DYEING.  151 

III.  La3'  down  the  feathers  for  four  hours  is  a  cold 
bath  in  which  sonae  chloride  of  tin  has  been  dissolved- 
then  dye  for  one-half  hour  in  a  hand  warm  bath  of  cochi- 
neal,  lift  and  dry. 

IV.  Prepare  a  bath  with  one  and  one-half  per  cent 
of  the  weight  of  feathers,  saccharic  acid,  one-quarter 
per  cent,  tin  salt,  and  six  to  seven  per  cent,  cochineal 
bring  the  bath  t-o  boil  for  one  minute;  then  chill' 
Enter  the  scoured  and  rinsed  feathers  at  hand  heat  dye 
for  three-quarters  of  an  hour,  take  up  and  expose  them 
for  two  hours  to  the  air,  rinse,  starch  and  dry. 

BORDEAUX. 

Scour  and  rinse  the  feathers  well.     Prepare  a  boilin.. 
hot   bath   slightly   acidulated  with   sulphuric   acid     ta 
which  add  a  liberal  quantity  of  ponceau  6  R.  B     a  few 
drops  solution  of  aniline  blue,  and  some  yellow  dyestuff 
such  as  turmeric,   fast  yellow,  or  quinoline  yellow,  and 
brmg  the  bath  to  boil  for  a  few  minutes.     Then  chill  to 
sharp   hand-heat,   enter  the    feathers   and   work    until 
level,  and  sample;    if  still  too  light,  add  some  more  of 
all  these  dyestuffs.     As  the  bath  shows  from  the  begin- 
ning the  color  it  will  produce,  it  can  be  corrected  before 
entering  the  feathers. 


102  OSTIllCU    FEATIIEII   DYEING. 

GARNET  (RED). 

I.  Scour  and  rinse  the  featliers  well  clean,  grays 
ought  to  be  bleached.  Prepare  the  dyebath  as  for  pon- 
ceau (I.),  or  use  an  old  ponceau  bath,  and  add  to  it  some 
aniline  cerise  (clierry  red)  and  ver}-  little  extract  of  in- 
digo, or  solution  of  fust  blue-black.  Enter  feathers  as 
hot  us  possible  to  handle,  work  for  fifteen  to  twent}' 
minutes  while  raising  the  temperature  to  boiling 
heat ;  then  stop  heating,  lay  down  the  feathers,  and  let 
them  lodge  until  level  ;  lift,  rinse  and  dry. 

II.  Prepare  a  boiling  hot,  not  boiling,  bath  of  anot- 
to,  according  to  shade,  enter  the  feathers,  work  them 
well  through,  then  lay  them  down  in  the  bath  for  twelve 
hours.  Take  them  up,  rinse,  pass  through  a  moderately 
strong  alum  bath,  rinse  again,  and  dye  at  170°F.",  with 
either  decoction  of  red  wood  (brazil,  camwood,  etc.,)  or 
fuchsine  ;  lift  and  dry. 


GARNET  (BROWN). 

For  very  deep  shades  naturally  gra^-  feathers  may  be 
used  unbleached  with  proper  consideration  of  the  lone 
of  the  bottom  color.  Have  the  feathers  well  cleaned 
and  rinsed,  and  add  to  a  bath  of  two  gallons  of  water, 
one  and  one^juarter  pounds  cudl)ear  and  five  ounces  tur- 


OSTRICH  FEATHER   DYEING.  153 

meric.  Bring  the  bath  to  boil,  boil  for  five  or  ten  min- 
utes, let  cool  down  to  100°  F.,  enter  the  feathers  and 
dye  to  shade.     Lift,  starch  and  dry.  ' 

Or,  utilize  a  used  ruby  bath  (following)  and  add  to 
it  five  ounces  turmeric. 


RTJBY. 


For  a  good  color  the  feathers  must  be  white,  natur- 
ally or  bleached ;  scour  and  rinse  them  well.  Add  to 
two  gallons  of  water  one  and  one-half  pounds  good  cud- 
bear, stir  well,  enter  the  feathers  and  work  them,  while 
slowly  heating,  as  long  as  the  hands  can  stand  it.  Then 
lay  them  down  until  colored  to  shade,  lift,  rinse  well, 
starch  and  dry. 


SALMON. 


I.  Salmon  or  "  flesh  "  may  be  dyed  upon  bleached 
naturally  gray  feathers,  in  which  case  the  creamy  tint 
of  the  feathers  must  be  taken  into  consideration  and  can 
be  utilized  for  certain  broken  tones  of  the  color.  Have 
the  feathers  well  washed  in  soap  or  soda,  and  rinsed 
perfectly  clean.  For  dyeing  prepare  a  bath  as  for  rose, 
preferably  with  ponceau  B.  R.,  or  utilize  an  old  bath  for 


154  OSTRICH    FEATIIEK   DYEING. 

rose,  according  to  its  strength  nnd  the  shade  to  be  pro- 
duced, and  add  in  either  case  a  suitable,  small  quantity 
of  filtered  decoction  of  turmeric.  Proceed  as  stated  for 
dyeing  rose,  with  the  difference  only,  that  the  acid  may 
be  added  to  the  dyebath  at  once,  if  the  bath  is  made 
fresh.  Particularly  fine  shades  are  obtained  with  rlio- 
damine  and  turmeric,  in  a  bath  slightly  acidulated  with 
acetic  acid,  upon  bleached  grays. 

II.  Prepare  a  bath  as  for  rose,  with  some  solution  of 
eosinc,  a  little  quinoline  yellow ,  according  to  tone,  and 
a  little  acetic  acid,  just  enough  to  give  the  bath  a 
slightly  sour  taste.  Enter  the  well  cleaned,  or  bleacht<l 
feathers  after  rinsing,  at  hand  heat  and  agitate  them 
until  the  bath  is  well  exhausted,  or  a  level  color,  accord- 
ing to  sample,  obtained,  rinse  lightly,  starch  and  dry. 


AMARANTH. 


After  scouring  and  rinsing,  prepare  a  bath  with  one 
and  one-half  ounces  alum  per  gallon  of  water,  at  75-80° 
F.,  and  lay  the  feathers  down  in  it  over  night.  On  the 
next  morning  rinse  them  in  cold  water;  then  dye  them 
at  hand-heat  to  nearly  boiling  heat  in  a  strained  decoc- 
tion of  Brazil  wood  (or  camwood,  hypernic,  etc.)  until 
the  required  shade  is  obtained,  and  rinse  in  warm  water 


OSTRICH  FEATHER   DYEING.  I55 

to   Which  some   tartar  has   been   added;    starch    and 
dry. 


BRONZE. 


For  this  color  naturally  gray  feathers  may  be  used 
if  a  deep  shade  is  to  be  dyed;  for  light  shades  they 
ought  to  be    bleached.     Scour   and  rinse  the  feathers 
well;    then  prepare  a  bath  with  five  per  cent.,  of  the 
weight  of  feathers,  bisulphate  of  soda,  to  which  add  azo 
orange,  acid  violet  and  extract  of  archil.     Dissolve  the 
dyestutfs,  each  separately  in  water,  filter,  add  the  clear 
solutions  gradually  in  small  quantities  until  the  shade  is 
nearly  reached,  then,  in  order  to  correct,  by  drops,  until 
the   exact   depth   and   tone   are    obtained.     Enter   the 
feathers  and  dye  to  shade  at  170°  F.     Instead  of  acid 
violet  indigo  carmine   may  be   used ;  in  this  case,  how- 
ever,  as   the  dyestuff  runs   up   slowly  and   difl3cultly, 
work  at   nO°   F.,  for   twenty  to  thirty  minutes,  then 
raise  the  temperature   slowly  to  near  the  boiling  point 
and  continue  at   that  temperature,  without  actull  boil- 
ing,  until  the  required  color  is  obtained.     Then  rinse, 
squeeze,  starch  and  dry. 

Bronze  is  also  produced  like  drab,  that  is,  with  azo 
orange,  acid   violet  and  fuchsine  S.,  but  with  greater 


150  OSTRICH   FEATIIEK   DVEIXO. 

quantities  of  dyestuff.  Bronze  is  also  obtained  with 
the  recipe  for  any  dark  brown,  by  making  the  yellow  in 
it  predominant ;  particularly  good  bronzes  are  in  this 
manner  obtained  from  dark  chestnut  brown. 


OLITE. 


I.  Clean  the  feathers  by  laying  them  down  for  six 
hours,  or  over  night,  in  a  weak  warm  solution  of  soda 
crystals  (1°  B.)  to  which  add  so  much  ammonia  as  to 
give  it  a  faint  odor ;  take  up  when  completely  ungreascd 
and  rinse  well  in  lukewarm  and  cold  waters.  Prepare 
the  dyebath  with  five  per  cent.,  of  the  woij^ht  of  feath- 
ers, bisulphate  of  soda,  to  which  add  filtered  solutions 
of  indigo  carmine,  archil  and  fast  yellow  as  required  for 
the  sample.  As  the  indigo  carmine  is  slow  to  dye  up 
and  requires  boiling  heat  or  a  temperature  near  it,  dye 
first  the  feathers  blue  with  indigo  carmine,  then  let  the 
bath  cool  down  to  170°  F.,  and  add  the  solutions  of  ar- 
chil and  fast  3'ellow  in  small  successive  quantities,  so  as 
to  be  able  to  give  the  accurate  tone. 

Instead  of  extract  of  archil,  fast  red  or  bordeaux 
may  be  employed. 

To  avoid  any  possible  injury  to  the  feathers  by  the 
high  temperature  necessary  for  indigo  carmine  to  run 


OSTRICH    FEATHER   DYEING.  157 

up,  in  its  stead  a  solution  of  alkaline  blue  or  of  acid 
Victoria  blue.  Take  up  and  dry  the  feathers  without 
rinsing. 

II.  Scour  well  and  rinse  the  feathers,  and  prepare  a 
bath  with  three  per  cent,  alum  (of  the  weight  of  feath- 
ers),  to  which  add  azo  orange  and  some  indigo  carmine  ; 
enter  at  170°  F.,  dye  for  fifteen  or  twenty  minutes,  then 
raise  the  temperature  slowly  to  near  the  boiling  point 
and  dye  to  shade.     Lift  and  dry. 

By  beginning  with  small  quantities  of  the  dyestuflfs 
and  successively  increasing  them  and  varying  their  pro- 
portions, a  series  of  fine  shades  from  light  old  gold  to 
the  deepest  olive,  near  black  can  be  produced. 

III.  Prepare  a  boiling  bath,  in  which  dissolve 
one  per  cent.,  of  the  weight  of  feathers,  alum,  one  per 
cent.  Glauber  salt,  and  add  a  little  sulphuric  acid  ;  let 
cool  down  to  no-  F.,  add  some  fast  yellow,  a  littll  so- 
lution  of  archil  and  of  sulphate  of  indigo,  work  for  fif 
teen  minutes  while  raising  the  temperature  to  the  boil- 
ing point,  and  sadden  with  blue  black,  lift,  rinse  and  dry 
with  starch. 

IV.  Prepare  a  sharp  handwarm  bath  with  a  little 
sulphuric  acid,  to  which  add  the  clear  sohition  of  a  little 
quinoline  yellow  or  turmeric,  and  acid  green  ;  enter  the 
feathers  and  work  for  fifteen  minutes,  or  until  they  have 


158  OSTRICH    FEATHER    DYEING. 

taken  a  sufTicioitly  noiirislictl  j'cllow-green  color ;  then 
take  them  up,  add  to  the  bath  some  solution  of  fast 
brown,  as  required  b}'  the  sample  and  <\ye  at  170°  F.  to 
shade  ;  rinse,  squeeze,  starch  and  dry.  The  brown  dye- 
stuff  must  be  added  ver}-  carefully  in  small  doses,  best 
by  drops,  in  order  to  obtain  with  certainty  any  of  the 
great  varieties  of  shades,  from  olive  green  to  olive 
brown,  as  required. 


VIOLET. 


Naturally  gra}'  feathers  may  be  used  unbleached, 
but  only  for  very  deep  shades  as  the  bottom  color  acts 
dulling  upon  the  d3c,  and  brilliant  colors  can  only  lie 
obtained  upon  a  pure  white  bottom.  Scour,  respectively 
bleach  well,  and  rinse  clean.  Prepare  a  hot  bath  to 
which  add  some  filtered  solution  of  methyl  violet,  ac- 
cording to  tone,  that  is,  more  or  less  blue,  enter  the 
feathers  and  work  until  cool,  then  add  gradually  more 
dyestuff  solution  according  to  shade  while  raising  the 
tt'raperature  to  near  the  boiling  point  and  continue  at 
tliis  temperature  until  the  desired  shade  is  nearly  ob- 
tained. If  too  blue,  tone  with  a  little  solution  of  fuch- 
sine  S.  Towards  the  end  of  the  operation  take  up  the 
feathers,  add  some  alum  to  the  bath,  and  when  it  is  dis- 


OSTRICH   FEATHER    DYEINlgt.  159 

solved,  shut  ofi  the  steam,  re-enter  the  feathers  and 
work  to  shade  for  about  ten  minutes.  Then  lift,  rinse 
and  dry.  ^ 


HELIOTROPE   AND   LILAC. 

I.  These  colors  being  simply  medium  and  light 
shades  of  violet,  proceed  as  for  the  latter  color,  select- 
ing for  Jieliotrope  the  bluish  brands  of  methyl  violet, 
and  for  lilac  the  red  touch  mark.  The  dyebath  is  acid- 
ified with  a  little  tartaric  acid,  so  as  to  give  it  a  feeble 
sourish  taste  and  dyeing  done  at  hand-heat  until  a  level 
color  is  obtained  with  very  little  solution  of  the  dye- 
stuff,  and  more  of  it  gradually  added,  while  the  tempera- 
ture is  raised  to  nearly  boiling,  as  required  for  the 
shade  to  be  produced.     Or, 

II.  Prepare  the  dyebath  simply  of  cold  water  acidu- 
lated with  a  little  sulphuric  acid,  add  a  few  drops  of 
the  filtered  solution  of  methyl  violet  (4  B.  for  helio- 
trope), and  dye  to  shade  without  heating.  In  both 
cases  rinse  after  dj'eing,  pass  through  a  bath  of  raw 
starch  and  dye  as  usual. 


100  OSTUICU    KEATllEli    DVEIXO. 

CREAM. 

I.  The  lightest  shade  of  this  delicate  color  can  be 
produced  upon  naturally  gray  ostrich  feathers  by  simply 
bleaching  them  ;  this  color,  however,  is  extremely  sen- 
sitive, probably  because  tne  action  of  peroxyd  of  hydro- 
gen continues  under  the  influence  ol  the  oxygen  of  the  air. 
Bleached  grays  require,  therefore,  dying  as  well  as 
naturally  white  feathers.  The  feathers  being  well 
scoured  and  rinsed,  prepare  in  a  white  basin  (preferable 
to  the  copper  pans,  because  the  coloring  of  the  dyebath 
is  easier  and  more  correctly  discerned  over  the  white 
bottom)  a  bath  of  prett}-  hot  water,  to  which  add  a 
pinch  of  tartaric  acid,  and  a  little  decoction  of  turmeric 
or  solution  of  fast  aniline  yellow  or  of  azo  yellow,  but 
only  enough  to  give  the  water  a  light  tint ;  work  the 
feathers  in  it  for  four  to  six  minutes.  Then  sample  and 
correct,  if  necessary,  by  adding  more  dyestuff  solution. 
The  Rhade  being  obtained,  pass  through  cold  water, 
starch  and  dry  as  usual. 

II.  Prepare  in  a  white  basin  a  handwarm  bath  with 
three  or  four  drops  of  sulphuric  acid  and  a  few  drops 
of  the  filtered  solutions  of  picric  acid,  fast  aniline  yel- 
low, quinoline  yellow,  or  mandaric  yellow  extra,  but 
preferably  turmeric  which  dyes  up  more  evenly  than  the 


OSTRICH  FEATHER   DYEING.  161 

Other  dj'estuffs.  Enter  the  feathers  and  agitate  them 
for  fifteen  or  twenty  minutes  ;  then  lay  them  down  in 
the  bath  for  one-half  hour  longer  to  insure  a  level  dye ; 
lift,  draw  through  lukewarm  water,  starch  and  dry. 


WHITE  AND  BLACK. 

Science  teaches  that  white  is  the  source  of  light  or 
the  product  of  combination  of  all  other  colors,  because 
the  light  of  the  sun,  which  is  assumed  to  be  white,  when 
broken  up  by  means  of  a  prism,  shows  in  its  image  re- 
flected upon  a  white  plain,  the  three  primary,  and  tliree 
secondary  colors  with  the  uncounted  number  of  inter- 
mediaiy  products  of  combinations  of  fractions  of  the 
primary  colors  forming  the  transition  from  one  to  the 
other,  which  can  be  perceived  by  the  eye  but  not  ex- 
actly separated  from  one  another,  but  may  quantita- 
tively determined  to  an  approximate  degree  of  accuracy. 
Black,  on  the  other  hand,  is  described  as  the  absence  of 
all  light,  and  it  is  denied,  therefore,  by  theory  a  place 
among  the  colors. 

Practice  asserts  the  direct  contrary  of  the  theory 
developed  by  science  by  way  of  conclusion.  While 
philosophers  assert  that  they  have  succeeded  in  pro- 
ducinty  white  light  by   the  combination  of  lights  of  the 


102  OSTRICH    FKATHKK    DYEING. 

various  colors,  for  which  combination,  however,  they 
give  no  formula,  no  dyer  with  the  greatest  patience  and 
with  the  most  subtile  proportioning  of  dyestufls,  giving 
pure  reproductions  of  the  primary  colors  as  seen  in  the 
spectrum  or  image  of  the  broken  sunbeam,  can  ever  be 
able  to  i)rodnce  aii\thing  of  a  color  approaching  white. 
But  every  dyi-r  knows  how  to  produce  white  by  bleach- 
ing,  that  is,  by  the  destruction  of  all  color.  And  this 
operation  is  comparatively  simple  and  easy  to  jjerform, 
since  the  great  achievements  of  modem  chemistry  have 
placed  into  the  hand  of  the  dyer  the  most  energetic  and 
and  effectious  color  destroying  agents.  The  ostrich 
feather  dyer  of  to-day  is  able  to  convert  naturally  gray 
and  even  black  feathers  into  nearly  pure  white,  which 
undertaking  his  father  would  have  called  the  boast  of  a 
deranged  mind  and  an  absolute  physical  impossibility. 
And  with  the  aid  of  a  complementary  color  dyed  upon 
the  bleached  feathers  the  tint  remaining  upon  them  is 
obliterate«l,  or  neutralized,  which  operation  is  generally 
called  ''  white  dyeing,"  although  certainly  white  cannot 
Ik5  "dyed"  with  a  blue  or  violet  dyesluJf  as  little  as 
blue  or  violet  can  bo  produced  with  a  yellow  dyestufl. 

Black,  on  the  other  haiul,  although  the  name  and 
rank  of  a  color  is  denii-d  it  by  the  <loctrine8  of  theory  is, 
for  the  dyer,  most  essentially  a   color  requiring  for  its 


OSTRICH   FEATHER    DYEUSTG.  163 

production   the   contribution   of  all   colors,  as  can   be 
shown  by  a  simple  experiment.     If,  for  instance,  within 
a  circle,  three  equal  circles,  whose  diameters  are  greater 
than  half  the  diameter  of  the  surrounding  circle,  are 
printed,  one  blue,  one  red  and  one  yellow,  so  that  the 
points  of  contact  with  the  periphery  of  the  outer  circle 
are  equidistant  from  one  another,  or  form  a  regular  tri 
angle,  their  segments  overlapping  one  another  form  four 
spherical  triangles,  one  violet  where  red  and  blue  cover 
one  another,  one  orange  where  red  and  yellow  come  to- 
gether, one  green  where  yellow  and  blue  are  mixed,  but 
the  fourth  is  the  centre,  where  parts  of  the  three  diner- 
ently  colored  segments  cover  one  another,  is  black,  but 
toned  by  the  color  of  the  greatest  intensity.     In  fact, 
black   requires   for   its   production  more  color,  and  is 
more    difficult   to   dye   than  any  color  of  the  spectrum. 
It  is  not  strange,  therefore,  that  many  more  methods 
have  been  proposed  and  have  been  tried  and  adopted  to 
dye  black  than  for  the  production  of  any  other  color. 
Yet  all  these  blacks  are  more  or  less  tinted  and  are  noth- 
ing more  than  the  deepest  shade,  which  can  be  produced 
with  the  aid  of  metallic  salts,  of  blue,  brown,  gray,  vio- 
let, green   and  even  red.     The  only  black  upon  ostrich 
feathers  which  may  be  justly  called  an  absolute  black  is 
that  produced  aftc  r  the  method  of  Mr.  Taul,  as  described 


164  OSTKICII    KEATHEU    DYEING. 

in  the  front  part  of  this  book  (page  53-56).  It  pre- 
sents, besides,  the  advantage,  that  it  can  be  completely 
done  in  eighteen  minutes,  while  there  arc  older  methods 
which  require  not  less  than  three  days.  Such,  of 
course,  will  find  no  room  here,  but  only  the  most  relia- 
ble and  expeditious,  and  safest  of  the  older  methods 
will  be  selected  with  due  regard  both  to  beauty  of  color 
and  preservation  of  the  precious  material. 


WHITE. 


Naturally  white  ostrich  feathers  and  bleached  grays, 
like  all  material  taken  from  the  animal  realm,  retains 
even  after  scouring  and  bleaching  a  more  or  less  notice- 
able yellowish  tint,  which  becomes  visible  after  some 
time  even  upon  such  as  appear  snow-white  immediately 
after  scouring.  The  cause  is,  probably,  that  the  fat 
which  is  contained  in  feathers,  as  well  as  in  wool  and 
hair,  and  a  part  of  which  remains  after  the  cleaning  pro- 
ccFS,  is  oxj'dized  by  the  ncliou  of  the  air.  To  perfectly 
and  completely  extract  this  remaining  small  amount  of 
fat  which  does  not  hinder  the  subseciuent  dyeing  opera- 
tions, is  not  advisnl)le;  for,  it  has  been  observed  that  in 
that  case,  the  feathers  become  brittle,  and  for  this 
reason,   scouring    wiili    soap   is   prcferaV)le  to  scouring 


OSTRICH  FEATHER  DYEING.  165 

With  soda.  It  has  been  observed  that  colored  matter 
taken  from  the  animal  body  in  the  course  of  time  loses 
Its  brilliancy  of  color  and  becomes  dull ;  white  feathers 
turn  yellowish,  even  if  perfectly  protected  against  dust. 
To  prevent  this  alteration,  the  bleached  feathers  are 
"dyed  white,"  or  rather  blued  or  tinted;  that  is,  the 
brilliancy  of  the  white  is  heightened  and  the  faint  yel- 
lowish  tinge  neutralized  by  the  application  of  a  very 
light,  scarcely  perceptible  tint  of  a  complementary 
color. 

For  this    purpose,    for    instance,    indigo    carmine 
(greenish  white),  indigo  carmine  with  a  very  small  addi- 
tion of  ammoniacal  cochineal  (reddish    white),  induline 
or  extract  of  indigo  (bluish  white),  or  methvl  violet  6  B. 
(direct  white),  are  employed,  and  a  few  drops  of  acid 
added  to  the  bath,  either   sulphuric,  acetic   or   oxalic 
acid.     The  acid,  however,  can   be  dispensed  with,  as  it 
scarcely  has  anything  to  act  upon,  and  as  only  a  diminu- 
tive amount  of  it  is  employed,  the  blued  feathers  are  not 
rinsed  but  immediately  dried  from  the  blue-bath.     The 
additions  of  dyestuff  to  baths  must  be  made  so  small 
that  they  do    not  affect  a  coloring  of  the  feathers  but 
only  a  faint  tinting,     leather  too  little  dyestuff  may  be 
added,   which  defect  can  at  all  times  be  corrected  by 
adding  a  few  drops  more  of  the  coloring  solution,  than 


IGO  OSTUICH    FEATHER    DYEING. 

too  much.  In  the  latter  case  it  would  become  necessary 
to  bleach  the  feathers  again  and  go  over  the  whole  pro> 
cess  of  preparing  the  raw  material  for  dyeing. 


BLACK. 

I.  Chrome  Black. — Black  being  the  most  difficult 
color  to  produce,  as  above  remarked,  the  feathers  re- 
quire a  specially  careful  preparatory  treatment  in  order 
to  remove  everything  that  might  interfere  with  the 
purity,  uniformity  and  brilliancy'  of  the  color,  or  cause 
less  dyed,  dull  spots  and  streaks.  Naturally  gray 
feathers,  however,  need  not  to  be  bleached  or  decolor- 
ized but  only  careful  treatment  and  attention.  The 
feathers  are  for  twenty-four  hours  laid  down  in  a  solu- 
tion of  twice  their  weight  of  calcined  soda,  ammonia 
soda  being  prcfernble  for  this  purpose  to  Lablanc  soda 
(old  process  soda),  then  taken  up  and  carefully  rinsed 
clean  from  the  alkaline  in  warm  water,  or  better,  in  two 
warm  waters.  In  tlu'  case  of  particularly  valuable 
feathers  it  is  roeonimendable,  before  laying  them  down 
in  the  soda  solution,  to  rub  the  stains  of  the  feathers  off 
with  a  piece  of  carbonate  of  ammonia  or  with  a  large 
soda  crystal.  After  rinsing,  the  feathers  are  entered 
for  one  hour,  at   170°  F.,  in  a  bath  containing  forty  per 


OSTRICH  FEATUEU  DYEING.  16T 

cent.,  of  the  weight  of  feathers,  cbromate  of  potash^ 
forty  per  cent,  copperas,  and  twenty  per  cent,  tartar, 
and  several  times  turned  and  agitated  during  the  speci- 
fied period  while  the  entering  temperature  is  maintained. 
Then  the  feathers  are  taken  up,  and  the  adhering  liquid 
squeezed  out  by  hand  or  by  rolling  them  through  a 
clothes  wringer  with  rubber  roller.  In  the  meantime  a 
logwood  bath  of  medium  concentration  is  prepared 
either  with  a  fresh  decoction  or  with  extract  of  logwood 
and  twenty  per  cent.  Marsailles  soap  dissolved  in  it. 
The  feathers  are  entered  in  this  bath  at  hand-heat,  dili- 
gently agitated  for  twenty  or  thirty  minutes  and,  if 
necessary,  while  the  temperature  is  raised  to  200°  F., 
laid  down  in  the  bath  until  the  correct  shade  and  a  level 
dye  are  obtained.  The  feathers  are  then  lifted, 
squeezed,  very  thoroughly  rinsed  in  cold  water,  passed 
through  starch  and  dried  with  frequent  shaking,  respec- 
tively beating  upon  the  board  or  between  the  hands. 

It  occurs  sometimes,  that  the  stems  of  the  feathers 
are  imperfectly  died  and  present  light  brown  or  gray 
places.  This  is  attributable  to  insufficient  scouring. 
In  this  case  the  defective  portions  of  the  stems  must  be 
scraped  with  a  sharp  penknife  and  dyed  over.  This 
operation,  however,  is  difficult  and  requires  much  prac- 
tice and  a  light  hand,  as  too  much  scraping  removes 


108  OSTRICH   FEATUKK  DYEIXO. 

the  horny  glossy  surlace  of  the  stem  and,  when  dyed 
over,  the  only  change  effected  is,  that  a  dull  black  mark 
takes  the  place  of  the  discolored  or  brown  spot.  Often, 
however,  the  defect  can  be  remedied  by  touching  the 
imperfect  portions  up  with  a  feeble  alcoholic  solution  of 
^shellac,  in  which  some  nigrosine  is  dissolved.  With 
properly  scoured  feathers  this  mishap  does  not  occur. 

Another  trouble,  however,  which  is  not  unfrequent 
with  blacks,  is  that  the  feathers  are  over-dyed  and 
become  brownish  black  instead  of  black.  But  in  this 
case  the  remed}'  is  as  simple  as  its  occurence  is  fre- 
quent ;  a  quick  passage  through  sulphuric  acid  diluted 
with  water  to  2°  B.  strips  off  the  excessive  dye  and  pro- 
duces a  good  color.  Besides,  this  o|)eration  gives  the 
feathers  a  brilliant  lustre.  Many  dyers,  therefore, 
methodically  avail  themselves  of  this  effect  of  sul- 
phuric acid  and  deliberately  overdye  their  feathers  (See 
IV  below)  and  then  apply  the  sulphuric  acid  passage 
for  the  purpose  of  imparting  the  feathers  that  peculiar 
lustre.  A  passage  through  a  solution  of  sodium  chlo- 
ride, of  2*^  B.  strength,  has  the  same  effect  as  a  ])assage 
in  sulphuric  acid  2**  B. 

For  this  purpose  lay  the  feathers  down  in  the  warm 
sodium  chloride  solution,  until  the  black  cotton  strings 
with  which  the  feathers  have  l>een  tied  together,  as  in 


OSTRICH    FEATHER   DYEING.  169 

the  beginning  described,  begin  to  turn  gray.  Then 
take  up  the  feathers,  rinse  them  very  thoroughly  in  cold 
water,  drain,  starch  and  dry. 

Sodium  chloride  can  be  prepared  in  a  simple  way  as 
follows:  rub  one-half  pound  fresh  chloride  of  lime  in  a 
porcelain  mortar  with  a  little  water  into  a  smooth  milk, 
which  pour  into  a  bucket,  dilute  with  cold  water,  and 
add,  under  stirring,  the  solution  of  one  pound  Glauber 
salt;  let  settle  and  use  the  clear  liquid.  Instead  of 
Glauber  salt  (sodium  sulphate),  soda  crystals  (sodium 
carbonate)  may  be  used  ;  the  latter,  however,  is  a  little 
higher  in  price  and  renders  the  solution  strongly 
alkaline. 

II.  Iron  Black. — Lay  down  the  feathers  over  night 
in  a  warm  bath,  in  which  one  hundred  per  cent.,  of  the 
weight  of  feathers,  soda  crystals  have  been  dissolved. 
On  the  following  day  take  them  up,  squeeze  them  out 
and  lay  them  down  for  two  hours  in  a  proportionally 
strong  solution  of  carbonate  of  ammonia,  take  them  up 
and  rinse  well  in  warm  water.  La}-  down  for  six  hours 
upon  a  bath  of  nitrate  of  iron  10°  B. ;  take  up,  rinse, 
and  dye  at  170°  F.  with  tlie  decoction  of  ten  per  cent. 
logwood  in  which  five  per  cent.  Marseilles  soap  has  been 
dissolved.  If  a  dead  black  is  wanted,  add  some  decoc- 
tion  of  quercitron  or  turmeric  to  the   bath.     The  de- 


170  OSTRICH    FEATHER    DYEING. 

sired  depth  being  obtained,  lift,  rinse,  starch  and  dry. 
In  case  the  color  is  over-dyed,  strip  with  sodium 
chloride  (or  siilphuric  acid)  2°  B.,  as  above  described, 
drain,  squfeze  and  dry. 

111.  LoowooD  Hlack. —  Scour  and  rinse  the  feathers 
well.  Prepare  a  bath  with  tbree  per  cent.,  of  the 
weight  of  feathers,  carbonate  of  lime,  six  per  cent,  blue- 
stone,  and  five  per  cent,  tartar.  Enter  the  feathers  at 
170°  F.,  maintain  this  temperature  for  one  hour  ;  then 
let  it  go  down,  but  leave  the  leathers  in  the  bath  for  six 
hours  longer,  agitating  them  frequently  during  that 
time.  Take  them  up,  drain  and  squeeze,  or  centrifu- 
gate,  and  enter  a  handwarm  bath  containing  some  de- 
coction of  logwood,  to  which  some  decoction  of  fustic 
is  added.  Work  for  fifteen  or  twenty  minutes,  then 
raise  the  temperature  to  nearly  boili)ig  heat.  Continue 
adding  decoction  of  logwood,  until  a  nourished  black  is 
obtained.  This  dye  being  hard  to  correct  by  the  ordin- 
ary means,  the  additions  of  logwood  decoction  must  be 
made  with  caution  towards  the  end  of  the  operation,  in 
order  to  prevent  over-dyeing.  If  a  brownish  touch  is 
desired,  add  some  more  decoction  of  fustic  wlioii  the 
black  is  nearly  done.  Tlu-ii  lift,  rinse,  starch  and  dry 
as  usual  under  continual  agitation,  Wating  and  shaking 
of  the  feathers.     This  chrome  black  is  superior  to  iron 


OSTRICH  FAETHER   DYEING.  171 

black,  because  it  imparts,  to  the  ostrich  feathers,  more 
lustre. 

IV.  Whatever  kind  of  feathers  are  to  be  dyed, 
white,  grays  or  old  blacks,  wash  them  perfectly  clean  in 
two  or  three  warm  soap  baths  and  remove  the  soap  by 
rinsing  in  two  or  three  warm  and  several  cold  waters. 
Colored  feathers  which  are  to  be  redyed  blacks  must  be 
stripped  of  their  color  as  much  as  possible  by  washing 
in  hot  soap  to  which  some  ammonia  is  added,  where- 
upon this  must  be  rinsed  in  several  waters  absolutely 
clear  from  soap  and  alkali ;  it  is  an  erroneous  notion  to 
neutralize  the  last  trace  of  alkali  which  ma}'-  remain,  by 
a  passage  through  a  feeble  acid  bath.  The  feathers 
thus  pi'epared  for  dyeing,  make  a  bath  of  two  parts  ni- 
trate of  iron  to  one  part  hot  water  at  170°  F.,  enter  the 
feathers,  work  them  through  a  few  times,  and  then  lay 
them  down  in  the  bath  for  twelve  hours  (over  night). 
Then  lift  and  rinse  the  feathers  in  several  (three  or 
four)  cold  waters  Prepare  a  pretty  strong  decoction  of 
logwood  and  fustic,  for  which  take  two  parts  of  the 
former  to  one  part  of  the  latter ;  let  the  temperature  go 
down  to  about  208-210^  F.,when  enter  the  feathers  and 
maintain  that  temperature  for  fifteen  or  twenty  min- 
utes. Then  shut  off  the  steam  or  remove  the  dye-vessel 
from  the  fire,  as  the  case  may  be,  and  let  the  feathers 


172  OSTRICH   FEATHER   DVBINO. 

cool  in  the  bath.  When  cold  t&ke  them  out,  prepare  & 
fresh  bath  of  logwood  and  fustic  like  the  first,  enter  the 
feathers  at  208-210"  F.,  after  fifteen  or  twenty  minutes 
add  about  a  teaspoonlul  of  copperas  for  one  gallon  of 
water,  and  leave  the  feathers  in  the  bath  for  six  or  eight 
hours  longer  ;  then  lift  and  rinse  in  several  cold  waters. 
The  feathers  are  at  this  stage  black  with  a  strong  brown 
touch  which  is  removed  by  a  cleaning  bath  of  Eau  dc 
Javelle  (sodium  chloride).  The  latter  is  prepared  by 
rubbing  one-quarter  pound  chloride  of  lime  to  a  smooth 
milk  with  a  little  cold  water  (in  a  porcelain  or  a  marble 
mortar)  and  adding  this  milk  to  the  solution  of  one-half 
pound  Glauber  salt  in  three  parts  water.  After  good 
stirrinjr  the  mixture  is  then  allowed  to  settle,  when  the 
clear  solution  is  poured  off  and  put  up  for  use  in  well 
stoppered  bottles.  Of  this  liquid  so  much  is  added  to 
a  basin  or  pan  full  of  warm  water  that  itgi^'cs  a  slippery 
feel  between  the  fingers,  similar  to  that  of  a  solution  of 
soda. 

In  this  bath  the  feathers  are  agitated  for  six  or 
eight  minutes,  or  until  the  licjuid  has  assumed  a  yellow- 
ish color.  Then  the  feathers  are  taken  out,  rinse  in  two 
or  three  warm  waters,  passed  through  raw  starch, 
prcssetl  out  between  several  lajis  of  a  clean  piece  of 
muslin,  and  dried  either  by  rubbing  them  in  pulverized 


OSTRICH  FEATHER    DYEIKG.  173 

and  sifted  potato  starch  or  by  shaking  them  before  an 
open  fire  or  gas- flame. 

The  nitrate  of  iron  bath  can  be  preserved  and  used 
for  the  same  purpose  for  eiglit  or  ten  days,  but  the  first 
logwood  bath  becomes  useless  and  is  let  out.  As  above 
observed  (I)  sulphuric  acid  can  also  be  employed  for 
correcting  the  over-dyed  feathers  and  reducing  that 
brownish  color  to  a  pure  lustrous  black,  but  a  much 
shorter  passage  is  given :  the  feathers  are  entered  by 
single  strings,  well  opened,  agitated  in  the  sulphuric 
acid  bath  for  a  few  seconds,  and  immediately  rinsed. 
Where  week  work  is  done,  it  is  advisable  to  have  two 
men  employed  at  this  operation,  one  of  whom  passes  the 
feathers  in  the  acid  bath  and  hand  them  over  to  the 
other  man  for  rinsing. 


CONTRASTS   AND    SHADINGS,    OR   OMBREES. 

Fashion  and  fancy  sometimes  requires  the  d3'er  of 
ostrich  feathers  to  dye  upon  one  feather  two,  or  even 
three  contrasting  colors,  or  different  shades  of  the  same 
color,  that  is,  the  tips  of  the  feathers  in  another  color  or 
shade  than  that  of  the  lower  part  of  the  feather.  Gen- 
erally in  these  combinations  the  tip  is  dyed  the  lighter 
color  or  shade,  and  the  lower  part  considerably  deeper 


174  OSTRICH   FEATHER    DYEING. 

or  in  a  lieavier  color.     Very  popular  combinations  are : 
the  tip  light  blue  and  the  bottom  brown,  the  tip  rose 
and   the  lower  part  bordeaux,  the  tip  light  orange  or 
dark  yellow  and  the  lower  part  garnet  brown,  tip  rose 
with  olive  bottom  part,  or  even  three  colors,  such  as  the 
tip  rose,  the  part  below  it  medium  olive  green,  and  the 
lowest   part  deep  violet     That  such  combinations  are 
very  handsome  cannot  be  asserted  ;  but  fashion  dictates, 
and  fanc}'  sometimes  prefers  oddity  to  beauty.     More 
rational  are  at  an}-  rate  the  ombr^es,  or  combinations  of 
two  or  three  shades  of  the  same  color  upon  one  feather. 
The  operation  is  the  same  for  both  styles  ;  but  contrasts 
are   generally    dyed    only    upon    single   feathers,  while 
ombrdes,  being  in  greater  demand,  are  dyed  by  strings 
or  even  in  greater  lots.     The  feathers  being  scoured  and 
rinsed  as   usual,  are  first  dyed  wholly  in  the  lightest 
color  or  shade  to  be  produced,  according  to  recipe,  say 
light  blue  for  the  tip,  and  dried.     Then  wrap  the  top,  as 
far  as  it  is  to  be  light  blue,  in  paper  (some  dyers  use 
for  this  purpose  oiled  or  waxed  paper)  and  tie  the  paper 
firmly,  but  not  so  hard  as  to  injure  the  feather,  with  a 
string,  not  so  loosely  as  to  allow  the  paper  envelope  to 
slip  out  of  place  during  the  manipulation.     Then,  hold- 
ing the   feathers  by  the  top,  dip  them  into  the  boiling 
Lot  bath  for  the  otlier  color,  or  shade,  to  be  dye<l,  but 


OSTKICH  FEATHER  DYEESTG.  175 

only  so  deep  that  the  paper  just  touches  the  surface  of 
the  dye-liquid.  This  method  is  the  safest  for  learners 
or  new-beginners.  For  more  experienced  workers  it  is 
unnecessary  to  use  the  paper  wrapping  ;  they  simply 
first  dye  the  light  bottom  shade,  dry  or  not,  according 
to  the  characters  of  the  two  colors  (for  shadings,  half- 
dry  feathers,  that  is,  drained  and  squeezed  out,  are 
rather  preferable),  and  loosely  hold  them  in  the  bath  for 
the  second  color,  or  deeper  shade.  They  have  it 
thereby  in  their  power  to  effect  a  more  gradual  transi- 
tion from  one  color  or  shade  to  the  other.  As  the  color 
becomes  deeper,  the  longer  the  feather  is  immersed  iu 
the  bath,  it  is  plain  that  the  dyer  can  easily  produce 
upon  one  feather  a  complete  graduated  scale  of  shades. 
Each  time,  after  a  shade  has  been  d^-ed  to  the  required 
aepth,  the  feathers  are  rinsed  in  cold  water  and  some 
more  dyestuff  solution  added  to  the  bath.  These  addi- 
tions require  good  judgment,  because  too  much  dj'estuff 
added  would  cause  an  abrupt,  dull  contrast  instead  of  a 
desirable  gradual  shaking  off,  or  transition  from  one 
shade  to  the  other.  There  ought  only  a  little  more  dye- 
stuff  be  added  each  time,  than  has  been  absorbed  from 
the  bath  by  dyeing  the  preceding  shade.  If  paper 
wrappings  are  used,  they  must  naturally  be  untied  for 
rinsing  and  replaced  by  longer  pieces  before  entering 


170  OSTRICH   FKATTIKTi   DYF.rS'O. 

the  bath  for  the  following  darker  shade.  After  rinsing 
the  feathers  mast  alwaj's  be  well  squeezed  out.  If  two 
colors  are  to  be  dyed,  for  inst.ince  light  blue  tip  with 
brown  lower  part,  d}  e  first  the  whole  feather  light  blue, 
rinse,  dry,  tie  up  the  tip  in  paper,  and  d^-e  the  lower 
half  brown. 

It  needs  not  to  be  mentioned  that  for  dyeing 
two  or  three  contrasting  colors  upon  one  feather 
only  such  dyes  must  be  chosen  as  can  serve  for  bottom- 
ing and  topping  one  another  without  materially  altering 
the  character  of  the  topping  color. 


EDGINGS   OR  BORDERS. 

For  this  style  of  feather  dyeing,  use  feathers  of 
good  quality,  with  wide  and  well  developed  vanes. 
They  are  dyed  in  two  colors  and  shades  only,  presenting 
one  color,  mostly  of  a  light  shade,  or  a  white  "  black  " 
on  both  sides  along  the  stems,  while  the  outer  edges  lor 
the  vanes,  or  ends  of  the  fibres,  are  dyed  in  a  diflerent 
color  or  darker  shade.  They  make  a  particularly  hand- 
some effect  when  curled  over  the  stem,  setting  off  the 
edges  in  a  fine  contrast  against  the  black  showing 
throujih  the  curls. 


OSTRICH   FEATIIEK  DYEING.  177 

To  produce  edgings  an  oval  pan,  as  described  in  the 
beginning,  or  otlier  dye-vessel  of  greater  length  than 
the  feathers,  and  three  or  four  inches  deep  must  be  used. 
The  well  scoured,  respectively  bleached,  and  rinsed 
feathers  are  first  dyed  the  color  for  the  middle  part,  as 
usual  on  strings.  After  rinsing  and  drying  they  ai-e 
taken  oflf  from  the  strings  and  "  edged  "  singly.  For 
this  purpose  prepare  the  dye-bath  for  the  edging  color 
heat  to  the  proper  temperature,  take  the  tip  and  quill 
respectively  between  the  fore-finger  and  the  thumb  of 
both  hands,  dip  the  feathers  edgewise,  that  is,  with  the 
ends  of  the  fibres  on  one  side  of  the  stem,  or  the  edge 
of  the  vane  only,  into  the  dye-bath  as  deep  as  the  edg- 
ing  is  to  be  wide,  and  move  the  feather  in  this  position 
horizontally  forward  and  backward  in  the  bath  until  the 
shade  is  obtained.  Then  place  the  feather  between  sev- 
eral laps  of  clean  dry  muslin,  squeeze  it  out  by  passing 
the  hand  over  it,  and  dye  the  other  edge  in  the  same 
manner  as  the  first.  Finally  rinse,  starch  and  dry  the 
feather  as  usual. 

In  this  connection  a  chemical  reaction  is  worthy  of 
mention,  which  was  discovered  about  two  years  ago  by 
an  accident,  and  may  be  advantageously  employed  for 
the  production  of  edgings  upon  ostrich  feathers,  if  fur- 
ther developed   by   experiments.      In   a  large  feather- 


178  OSTRICU   FEATUEK  DYEING. 

dyeing  establishment,  in  Berlin,  a  sheet  of  paper  which 
had  been  wetted  with  ammonia,  and  had  become  dr\' 
had  been  lelt  on  a  work-table,  when  one  of  the  em- 
ployeeSjWUo  was  handling  a  lot  of  feathers  freshly  dyed 
with  methj  1  violet,  inadvertently  put  one  of  the  feath- 
ers, which  was  still  moist,  upon  the  impregnated  pajier. 
After  a  while,  when  the  feather  was  picked  up,  it  was 
found  that  the  violet,  all  round  the  edge  of  the  feather, 
had  turned  brilliant  green,  producing  a  very  pleasing 
effect.  It  is  rational  to  suppose  that  with  mixed  colors, 
in  whose  composition  methjl  violet  largely  enters,  simi- 
lar effects  can  be  produced  by  the  action  of  ammonia; 
and  probably  the  same  is  the  case  with  other  aniline 
dyestuffs. 


GILDING  AND    SILVERING. 

Gilded  and  silvered  ostrich  feathers  are  but  seldom 
in  demand,  and  then  only  for  grand  evening  dresses  or 
stage  effects,  and  for  short  seasons,  which  generally  re- 
turn far  between.  Their  production  is  by  no  means  a 
dyeing  process,  but  rather  an  operation  of  surface  orna- 
mentation, still  the  dyer  is  sometimes  requested  to  per- 
form it.  Wliile  goose  feathers  and  other  feathers  of 
small  value  are  wholly  gilded  or  silvered,  the  gilding  of 


OSTRICH  FEATHER  DYEING.  -  179 

ostrich  feathers  consists  chiefly  in  a  sprinkling  with 
metallic  dots,  or  sometimes  in  an  edging,  or  is  only  ap- 
plied to  the  tip  of  the  feathers,  which,  from  the  nature 
of  the  operation,  are  treated  singly.  Such  ornamented 
feathers,  white  as  well  as  dyed,  being  only  used  for 
short  periods,  a  permanent  fixation  of  the  gold  or  silver 
upon  them  is  not  required,  but  rather  undesirable,  as 
they  will  soon  be  redyed  for  other  uses. 

For  gilding,  respectively  silvering,  a  sufficiently  ad- 
hesive solution  of  possibly  colorless  gum  arable  is  pre- 
pared and  distributed  by  hana,  and  by  means  of  a  fine 
hair-brush,  in  smaller  or  larger  dots,  as  required,  over 
the  upper  side  of  the  feather  or  along  the  edges,  and 
before  the  gum  solution  becomes  dry,  sprinkled  over 
with  finely  divided  gold-leaf  or  silver-leaf.  The  feather 
is  then  turned  over,  given  a  few  light  taps  with  the 
hand  to  remove  the  loose  dust  of  metal,  and  vigorously 
shaken,  partly  to  prevent  the  fibres  from  sticking  to- 
gether,  partly  to  remove  the  remaining  loosely  adhering 
particles  of  metal.  The  operation  must  be  performed 
as  rapidly  as  possible  to  prevent  the  gum  solution  from 
drying  before  the  metallic  dust  is  shaken  oflf.  The 
smaller  the  gum-dots  are  made,  the  quicker  must  the 
work  be  done,  but  the  less  is  the  danger  of  the  fibres 
being  pasted  together,  and   the   more   elegant  the  ap. 


180  OSTRICH  FEATHER  DYEING. 

pearance  of  the  feather.  The  dots  or  spangles  are 
made  of  different  shapes,  in  little  circles  or  squares, 
and  sometimes  arranged  so  as  to  form  angular  designs, 
according  to  taste  and  skill  of  the  operator. 

Anotber  very  pretty,  scarcely  more  permanent,  but 
more  frequently  applied  ornamentation  of  ostrich  feath- 
ers, is  the  following. 


FROSTING. 

For  this  purpose  the  feathers  are  first  d^ed  in  a 
lijiht  or  medium  sbade  of  any  color,  the  effect  of  frost- 
ing feathers  of  a  dark  color  being  rather  unfavorable. 
The  feathers  are  then,  after  drying,  covered  on  the  uj)- 
per  side  with  a  solution  of  clear  gum  arabic,  as  for  gild- 
ing, but  more  closely,  or  may  even  be  entirel}-  brushed 
over  with  the  gum  solution,  and  are  then,  before  the 
gum  dries,  sprinkled  over  with  finely  ground  white 
glass,  or  mica,  the  hitter  giving  the  appearance  of 
frosted  silver.  The  glass  powder  or  mica  powder  is 
then  quickly  and  vigorously  shaken  off,  to  open  the 
fibres  and  Hues  as  much  as  possible,  while  drying. 
Finally,  to  complete  the  opening  of  the  fibres,  the  feath 
ers  are  steamed  at  the  under  side,  and  shaken  in  the  air 
until  ©iKjn  and  dr}'. 


OSTRICH    FEATHER  DYEING.  181 

Great  care  is  required  in  curling  gilded  or  frosted 
feathers,  that  the  metal  or  glass  powder  is  not  rubbed 
off  in  passing  the  fibres  of  the  vane  over  the  curling- 
knife.  This  operation  being  extremely  difficult  and 
dangerous,  the  use  of  a  curling-iron,  like  that  used  by 
hair-dressers,  is  preferable  to  that  of  the  knife.  The 
iron  is  moderately  heated,  so  as  not  to  singe  the  feath- 
ers; then,  beginning  at  the  lower  end  of  the  feather, 
a  part  of  the  fibres  on  one  side  of  the  stem  are  taken  by 
their  ends  between  the  shanks  of  the  iron,  the  latter 
closed  and  the  fibres  wound  downwards  around  it,  the  iron 
being  carried  on  the  under  side  of  the  feather  towards 
the  stem.  Then  first  one  side  of  the  vane  is  success- 
ively curled  from  the  quill  up  to  the  tip,  when  the  same 
operation  is  repeated  upon  the  other  half  of  the  feather. 
If,  in  this  manner,  the  feather  should  be  curled  too 
strongl}^,  the  fibres  are  taken  between  the  shanks  of  the 
warm  curling-iron  at  the  stem  and  simplj^  drawn 
through  the  iron. 

Numerous  ostrich  feather  dyers  and  dressers  use  the 
curling-iron  altogether,  instead  of  the  knife ;  the  only 
difficulty  for  the  beginner  is  to  get  the  proper  heat, 
which,  however,  is  soon  learned. 

Very  pretty  eflTects  are  also  obtained  by  dj-eing  the 
feathers  a  light  shade  of  color,  drying,  gumming  and 


162  OSTKICII    FEATHER   DYEINO. 

sprinkling  them  with  either  powdered  black  glass  or 
jet.  • 


RENOVATING   FEATHERS. 

White  ostrich  feathers  which,  by  long  exposure  to 
the  show-wiudow,  or  by  lying  in  store  for  a  protracted 
time,  have  lost  their  whiteness  and  turned  yellow,  and 
dyed  feathers  which,  from  the  same  causes, have  become 
dirty,  pale  and  discolored,  can  be  restored  to  their 
former  beauty  by  washing,  respectively  redyeing,  as  fol- 
lows: 

I.  A  washing  process,  which  is  ordinarily  only  ap- 
plied to  white  feathers  which  have  become  yellow,  is  as 
follows :  Prepare  a  bath  of  two  gallons  of  water  at 
145°F.,  to  which  add  half  a  gallon  of  liquid  ammonia 
(spirits  o(  sal  ammoniac,  ammonia  water)  ;  enter  the 
feathers,  work  them  once  well  through  with  the  hands, 
and  lay  them  down  in  the  bath  over  night.  On  the  fol- 
lowing day  take  thom  up,  wash  them  once  through  a 
soap-bath  at  IIS'^F.,  pass  them  again  through  the  tirst 
ammoniacal  bath,  and  rinse  well  and  let  them  drain. 
Then  prepare  a  bath  of  cold  water,  to  which  add  so 
much  of  a  clear  solution  of  methyl  violet  C  B.,  that  a 
white  china  plate  held  about  a  foot  below  the  surface  of 


OSTRICH  FEATIIEK    DYEESTG.  183 

the  water,  appears  with  a  faint  bluish  tint,  or  such  a 
blue  tone  as  is  desired ;  and  add  to  the  bath  so  muck 
sulphurous  acid,  that  it  gives  the  liquid  a  well  defined 
odor.  When  the  sulphurous  acid  mixes  with  the  tinted 
liquid,  the  violet  color  of  the  latter  disappears  and 
changes  to  a  greenish  tint,  which,  however,  turns  again 
to  blue  upon  the  feathers  when  they  are  afterwards  ex- 
posed to  the  action  of  the  air.  The  feathers  are  then 
passed,  singly,  if  possible,  through  the  blue-bath,  well 
drained,  centrifugated  or  whizzed,  starched  and  dried 
as  usual. 

Colored  feathers  which  have  lost  their  freshness,  and 
are  to  be  redyed,  are  simply  washed  clean  with  soap 
and  rinsed,  or  they  are  stripped  of  their  color,  as  much 
as  possible,  with  soap  and  oxalic  acid,  or  bleached  with 
peroxj'd  of  hydrogen,  as  described  in  the  beginning; 
whereupon  they  are  dyed  and  treated  like  bleached  new 
feathers,  always  taking  into  consideration,  however, 
what  of  the  old  color  may  remain  upon  the  feathers, 
may  be  utilizable  as  a  bottom  for  the  new  color,  or 
even  as  a  component  of  it,  for  instance,  in  the  case  of 
many  modes  and  several  browns. 

11.  Another  method  of  renovating  ostrich  feathers 
presents  the  advantages  that  it  is  executed  without  the 
application  of  heat,  that  it  is  a  simple  cleaning  process 


184  OSTKICII    FEATHER    DYEING. 

which  attacks  no  color,  unci  lliJil  it  leaves  the  curling  of 
the  feathers  intact,  which  is  unavoidal)ly  taken  out  of 
them  by  washing  with  warm  water  and  soap,  or  an}- 
other  alkaline  detergent  substance.  It  is,  therefore, 
only  applied  to  feathers  which  have  lost  their  purity  of 
color  by  exposuie,  and  whose  curling  is  to  be  preserved, 
or  is  worthy  of  preserving.  It  is,  in  part,  the  same 
process  which  is  known  as  "dry  washing"  among 
scourers  and  dyers  of  garments,  and  can  be  applied  to 
feathers  of  an}-  color  and  shade,  white  and  even  black, 
without  exception. 

For  this  operation  fill  a  basin  or  small  wooden  hand- 
tub  with  benzene,  add  a  handful  or  two  of  potato  Hour 
(sifted  potato  starch),  enter  the  feathers  and  rub  them 
well  through  with  the  starch  until  clean  ;  then  squeeze 
then  out  by  hand  and  press  between  muslin,  finally' whiz 
or  shake  them  in  the  air  until  dry. 

This  process  is  partly  chemical,  in  so  fai*  as  the  ben- 
zene loosens  the  dust  and  other  impurities  which  have 
settled  upon  the  feathers,  partly  mechanical,  as  the 
numerous  fine  particles  of  the  potato  starch,  which  do 
not  dissolve  in  benzene  as  soap  does  in  water,  rub  these 
impurities  oft  from  the  feather.  By  the  combined  ac- 
tion of  the  benzene  and  starch,  and  the  friction  applied, 
the  feathers  are  not  only  cleaned,  but  the  flues  com- 


OSTRICH  FAETHER   DYEIXG.  185 

pletely  opened,  so  that  the  feather  thus  treated  looks 
perfectly  like  new. 

A  remarkable  feature  of  this  process  is  that  the 
starch  carries  nearly  all  the  impurities  down  with  itself 
to  the  bottom  of  the  wash-basin,  and  becomes  soiled, 
while  the  benzene  takes  up  every  little  of  them,  and 
can,  therefore,  after  settling,  be  poured  off  from  the 
starch  sediment,  and  can  be  used  several  times  before 
it  needs  to  be  purified  or  eventually  becomes  unfit  for 
use. 

In  using  benzene,  which  is  a  highl}^  combustible  sub- 
stance, the  utmost  precaution  must  be  ol)served  that 
no  open  flame  or  fire  be  in  the  work-room,  neither 
open  lamps  nor  a  fire  in  the  stove  burning.  Even 
doors  leading  to  adjoining  rooms,  where  lights  or  fires 
are  burning,  ought  to  be  kept  closed  while  working 
with  benzene,  because  the  benzene  vapors,  which  may 
be  carried  to  the  flame  by  a  draft  of  air,  would  inev- 
itably ignite  and  cause  an  explosion  and  fire.  Occur- 
rences of  this  kind  have  been  not  unfrequently  ob- 
served. 

Feathers  which  have  been  cleaned  by  this  process, 
as  well  as  new  feathers,  may  be  dyed  by  the  follow- 
ing process. 


186  OSTRICU   FEATIIEU  DVEIXO. 

DYEING    IN    THE    COLD   WAY. 

This  process  is  a  real  dyeing  process,  as  well  as  a 
renovating  process,  bolb,  however,  to  a  limited  extent, 
inasmucb  as  it  can  be  applied  only  to  white  feathers  or 
to  such  as  arc  dyed  with  light  and  medium  shades  of 
certain  colors  which  are  to  be  freshened  up  ;  but  it  does 
not  answer  lor  dark  colors.  It  is,  however,  extremel3' 
simple  and  easy  to  execute;  besides,  almost  instanta- 
neous, and  therefore  of  great  utility  where  rapid  work 
is  required,  because  it  leaves  the  feathers  perfectly  in 
shape,  like  the  benzene  washing  process,  aud  does  not 
aflect  the  curling  of  the  feather,  if  there  is  such.  Old 
feathers  which  were  already  dyed  cream,  rose,  salmon, 
light  blue,  light  gra}*,  light  green,  sea  green,  golden 
yellow,  heliotrope  or  l)eige,  can  be  redyed  in  the  same 
colors,  but  must  previously  be  washed  with  benzene; 
new  white  feathers  do  not  require  such  washing. 

For  this  method  of  dyeing,  aniline  dyestuffs  soluble 
in  alcohol  are  used,  viz. :  for 

Cream,      .     .     .  Curcumine  or  Aniline  Orange, 

Rose,    ....  Eosine  or  Ponceau, 

Salmon,     .     .     .  Curcumine  and  Eo^inc, 

Light  Blue,  .     .  Wati  r  IJlue  and  Methylene  Blue, 

Gray,    ....  Nigrosine, 


OSTRICH  FEATIIKR  DYEENG.  187 

Sea-green,      .     .     Malachite  Green, 
Golden  Yellow,.     Orange  and  Fast  Brown, 
Heliotrope,   .     .     Methyl  violet  6  B., 
Beige,  ....    Methylene  Blue,  Curcumine  and 
Fast  Brown, 
mixed  according  to  tone  and  shade. 

Operate  of  follows :  Fill  a  white  basin  with  a  suffi- 
cient  quantity  of  alcohol  to  completely  wet  the  feathers 
in  it;  add,  according  to  shade,  a  smaller  or  greater 
quantity  of  the  clear  alcoholic  solution  of  the  required 
dyestuff,  or  mixture  of  dyestuffs,  pass  the  feathers 
singly,  without  previously  wetting  them,  three  or  four 
times  through  the  alcohol  bath  ;  then  press  them  out 
between  clean  muslin,  put  a  few  handfuls  of  sifted  po. 
tato  starch  upon  a  clean  sheet  of  pajjer,  and  rub  the 
feathers  with  it  until  thoroughly  dry ;  finally,  shake  out 
the  starch. 


RECAPITULATION  OF  GENERAL  RFLES. 

At  all  times  have  the  feathers,  which  are  to  be  dyed, 
scoured  well,  that  is,  washed  clean  from  all  externally 
adhering  impurities,  fat,  etc. ;  naturally  colored  feath- 
ers  bleached  for  all  light  and  medium  shades  to  be  dyed 
upon  them,  and  rinsed  perfectly  clean  from  the  scour- 


188  OSTKICn    FEATHER    DYEING. 

ing  or  bleaching  bath,  first  in  two  or  three  warm  waters 
and  then  in  cold  water. 

On  taking  the  feathers  from  any  bath,  always  squeeze 
the  liquid  out  first  by  drawing  the  feathers  through  the 
hand  closed  upon  them,  then  b}'  placing  them  straight 
between  several  laps  of  clean  dry  muslin  and  repeatedly 
passing  the  hand  with  quite  a  smart  pressure  over  it. 
Never  transfer  the  feathers,  in  any  case,  from  one  bath 
to  another  in  a  wet,  but  in  a  moist  condition,  or  nearly 
dry. 

Never  allow  the  feathers  to  become  dry  in  the 
course  of  operations.  If  it  is  necessary  to  interrupt 
work,  or  to  put  feathers  one  side  for  further  treatment, 
dry  them  properly  by  first  passing  them  through  a  bath 
of  raw  starch,  in  order  to  have  the  flues  at  all  times  as 
well  opened  as  possilile. 

In  no  case  let  the  temperature  of  a  batli,  in  which 
feathers  are  treated,  rise  to  actual  l)oiling,  although  for 
some  dvestuffs  a  temperature  near  the  boiling  point  is 
required  to  make  them  d^e  up,  to  become  level  or  to  fix 
them. 

In  every  instance,  where  an  acid  or  acid  salt  is  em- 
ployed, either  in  a  separate  mordanting  or  fixing  bath, 
or  as  a  component  of  the  dyebath,  rinse  well  before 
drying. 


OSTRICH  FEATHER  DYEING.  189 

When  sulphuric  acid  is  used  in  the  composion  of  a 
bath,  add  only  so  much  of  it  as  to  give  the  water  a  very 
slight,  scarcely  perceptible  acid  taste. 

Although  some  artificial  dyestufls  dye  up  without  an 
addition  of  acid  to  the  dye  bath  (basic  dyestufis),  the 
addition  of  sulphuric  acid,  in  a  very  small  quantity,  to 
the  dye-bath  is  advantageous,  rendering  the  colors 
brighter  and  also  faster. 

When  bisulphate  of  soda  is  employed,  it  is  not  nec- 
essary to  also  add  sulphuric  acid  to  the  dye-bath ;  if  it 
is  added,  however,  it  must  only  be  in  a  very  small  quan- 
tity ;  careful  rinsing  in  several  warm  and  cold  waters 
after  dyeing  is  required. 

When  alum  alone  is  used  without  any  other  addition 
as  mordant,  sulphuric  acid  may  be  added,  but  only  in 
the  proportion  of  one  tenth  or,  at  the  most,  up  to  one 
fifth  of  the  weight  of  alum,  and  careful  rinsing  in  sev- 
eral warm  and  cold  waters  is  the  more  indispensably  re- 
quired the  more  acid  has  been  employed. 

All  solutions  of  dyestuffs,  as  well  as  of  chemicals, 
ought  to  be  carefully  filtered,  and  decoctions  of  woods, 
etc.,  strained  before  adding  them  to  the  bath ;  never  add 
dyestuffs,  drugs  or  chemicals  in  substance  to  any  bath, 
in  order  to  prevent  solid  particles  from  settling  upon 
the  feathers. 


190  OSTRICH  FEATHER  DYEING. 

Never  add  all  the  dyestuff  probably  required  or  pre- 
scribed by  a  recipe  to  the  dye-bath  at  one  time,  but  in 
several  small  quantities,  each  time  after  taking  up  the 
feathers,  stir  the  bath  after  making  the  addition,  re-en- 
ter the  feathers  and  watch  the  progress  of  the  dyeing 
carefully ;  when  approaching  the  desired  shade,  add  the 
dyestuff  very  cautiously  ,  by  drops  if  necessary,  partic- 
ularly with  mixed  colors,  such  as  modes. 

Sample  in  proper  time,  and  take  not  a  whole  feather 
for  it,  but  pull  off  two  or  three  fibres  from  the  lower 
part  of  a  feather,  dr}-  them  quickly  by  squeezing  be- 
tween dry  muslin,  match,  correct  the  bath  and  finish 
dyeing. 

While  drying  keep  the  feathers  as  much  as  possible 
in  constant  motion,  shake  and  beat  them. 

Do  not  interrupt  operations,  if  it  can  be  avoided, 
but  do  the  work  rapidly  and  continuousl}',  without 
pausing. 

Keep  every  utensil  scrupulously  clean. 

THE  END. 


CONTENTS. 


FAGB. 

Preface i 

Growth  of  the  Ostrich  Feather  Trade,  etc 1 

The  Bird,  Its  Plumage  and  Habits 3 

Sketch  of  Dyestuffs,  etc 5 

logavood 5 

Turmeric 7 

Bichromate  of  Potash 7 

Archil 8 

SafRxVnixe 10 

Oxalic  Acid 11 

IxDiGO  Blue 11 

Sulphuric  Acid 12 

Copperas 13 

Bismarck  Brown 14 

Concentrated  Cotton  Blue 14 

roceline 15 

Recipes  for  Dyeing 16 

Hints  about  the  Dye-house 85 

Miscellaneous  Information 88 

Washing  Kaav  Stock 91 

Shading 94 

Paring,  Steaming  and  Curling 95 

Note  of  the  Publisher 99 


INDEX    TO    RECIPES. 


B.  TAOB 

BIEGE ei 

IILACK « - M 

BLEACUIXG  LIGHT  COLOKS  WHITE- ™  W 

BLEACHING  NATURAL  GRAYS  OR   BLACKS  WHITE 8S 

BLl  E.   AUMY SB 

BLUE.    ELECTRIC - -  65 

BLUE,   GENU  ARM  E _  57 

BLUE,  LIGHT SI 

BLUE,   MEDIUM «7 

BLUE,  NAVY_ SI 

BRONZE- 74 

nUOWN,  BISMARCK » 

BROWN,  MEDIUM 60 

BROWN.  OLIVE 81 

BROWN.  SEAL _.  » 

C. 

CARDINAI SS 

CHOCOLATE 7* 

COFFEE 79 

CORV 64 

CREAM „ « 

D. 

DRAB,  FELT 46 

DRAB.  PLAIN 78 

E. 

ECRU B 

O. 

GARNET 40 

GRAY,  SILVER _ « 


INDEX. 


PAGE 

GREEN,  BOTTLE 43 

GKEEN,  MEDIUM 61 

GREEN,    PEA 80 

LAVENDER 38 

LEMON 52 

LILAC 56 

M. 

MAGENTA 69 

MAROON 51 

MOSS : 76 

O. 

OLD-GOLD 39 

OLIVE 36 

ORANGE 48 

P. 

PINK,  LIGHT 20 

PLUM 35 

PURPLE 60 

S. 

SALMON 71 

SCARLET 50 

SEA-FOAM 70 

SLATE 47 

STEEL ^'i 

STONE 73 

STRAWBERRT,  CRUSHED 34 

T. 

TERRACOTTA 42 

TRILUEL 58 

\V. 

WHITE 16 


INDEX    TO    SAMPLES. 


B.  PAOB 

BIEGE _S4a 

BLACK 70a 

BLIE,  ARMY 46a 

BLUE,   ELECTRIC _  70a 

BLUE,  GEXDAKME _  40a 

BLUE,  LIGHT 26* 

BLUE,   MEDIUM 34a 

BLUE,  NAVY C4a 

BKOXZE_ «Sa 

BKOWX,  I5ISMAUCK 76a  " 

BKOWX,  MEDIUM Sia 

BUOWX,  OLIVE 52& 

BROWN,  SEAL „.  76a 

C. 

CARDIXAL 8Sh 

CHOCOLATE S4a 

COFFEE _52a 

CORN S4a 

CUEAM _ 26a 

D. 

DKAU,  FELT. „...  40a 

DU.VB,  PLAIN 58a 

K. 

ECRU 30tt 

G. 

GARNET 40a 

GRAY,  SILVER _...  SOa 

iii 


INDEX. 


PAGE 

GREEN,  BOTTLE 52a 

GREEN,  MEDIUM 82a 

GREEN,   PEA 64a 

LAVENDER 2Ga 

LEMON 20a 

LILAC 20a 

M. 

MAGENTA 64a 

MAROON. 46a 

MOSS 70a 

O. 

OLD-GOLD 82a 

OLIVE o8a 

ORANGE 76a 

P. 

PINK,  LIGHT „ 20a 

PLUM 58a 

PURPLE 46a 

S. 

SALMON 26a 

SCARLET 70a 

SEA-FOAM 30a 

SLATE *0a 

STEEL *^ 

STONE 52a 

STRAWBERRY,  CRUSHED 76a 

'      T. 

TERRACOTTA ^^ 

TRILUEL 30a 

xsr. 

WHITE •••  20a 


CONTENTS    OF    APPENDIX 


r\OK. 

General  Remarks 103 

Utensils 107 

PUEI'AUATION   OF   FEATUEUS 107 

Cleanincj,   Bleaching,  etc 109 

Drying  or  Starching Ill 

Bleaculno  or  Decolorizing  Natural  Grays....  112 

Pkroxyd  of  Hydrogen 114 

J.iGHT  Blue 115 

Navy  Blue 117 

Gendaumk  Blue 119 

Plum  ok  Prune 119 

Light  Yellow 121 

Medium  Yellow 121 

Dauk    Yellow 122 

Golden  Yellow 123 

Old-Gold 124 

Gray- 125 

Pk.\kl   Gray 12(5 

SiLVKu  (JRAY 12r> 

Bkown 127 

Lkjht  Brown 129 


CONTENTS  OF  APPENDIX.  U 

7AOB 

KusT  Brown 130 

Bed  Brown 130 

Coffee  Brown 131 

Puce 132 

Fawn 133 

Chestnut  Brown 133 

Ha  V  ANNA 134 

Mushroom 135 

Light  Drab 136 

Beige 137 

Modes 138 

Keseda 140 

Ordinary  Green 141 

Light  Green 142 

Moss  Green 143 

Bog  Green 143 

Grass  Green 144 

Russia  Green 144 

EosE 146 

Red 147 

Fast  Alizarine  Red 147 

Scarlet 148 

Ponceau 150 

Bordeaux 151 

Red  Garnet 152 

Brown  Garnet 152 


Ul  CONTENTS   OF  APPENDIX. 

FAOB 

Ruby 153 

Salmon 153 

Amaranth 154 

Bronzk 155 

Olive 156 

Violet 158 

Heliotrope  and  Lilac 159 

Cream 100 

"White  and  Black 101 

White H»4 

Black lOG 

Contrasts,  Shadings,  etc 173 

Edging  or  Borders 170 

Gilding  and  Silvering 178 

Frosting 180 

Renovating  Feathers 182 

Dyeing  in  the  Cold  "Way ISO 

Recapitulation  ok  General  Rules 187 


s 


PECIALTIES 


FOR  FEATHER  AND  SILK  DYERS 


PH.  H.  KARCHER  &  CO., 
55  CEDAR  ST.,  NEW  YORK, 

Sole  Agent  for  GILLIARD,  P.  MONNET  and  CARTIER'S 

FRENCH  ANILINE  DYES 

IMPOBTERS  OP 

DYESTUFFS,  EXTRACTS,  CHEMICALS,  &c. 


-ESTABLISHED   1861- 


HENRY  A.GOULD  &  CO. 

IMPORTERS  AND  JOBBERS  OF 

Indigo,  Gutch,  Dyewoods. 

GENERAL  AGENTS 

Celebrated  "  Berlin  Brand  "  Kon-Poisonons  Aniline  Colors,  inclnding 
Substantive  Dyes,  and  many  varieties  Soloble  in  Oils,  &c. 


MANUFACTURED  BY 


Mm  (^e^ellgcliaft  to  Anilin-FaLiiil^ation, 

BERLIN,  GERMANY. 

B7  &.  19  Pearl  Street,  Boston.        78  William  Street,  New  York. 
71  North  Front  Street,  Philadelphia. 


A.  KLIPSTEIN, 

52  Cedar  Street,  NEW  YORK. 

ANILINE  COLORS, 

And  all  Dyestuffs  and  Chemicals  used  in  Feather  Dyeing. 
BRANCH   OFFICES:  {lis  X',^L1.%*t:.^P°h^i*l^3e.ph.a. 

WM.  J.  MATHESON  4&  CO., 

20  Cedar  Street,  New  York. 

BRANCH  HniicFc  • )  ^*1  '^l'><  St..  Botton.     18  N.  Front  St..  Philidelphia. 
bKANCH  HOUSES  .  J  22  S.  Water  Street.  Providence,  R.  I. 


IMPORTERS  OF   AND   DEALERS   IN 


Coal  Tar  Colors  and  Dyestuffs 

MANUFACTURERS  OF 

Dyewood,  Sumac  and  Indigo  Extracts,  and  Carmines. 


American  -  - 
Ultramarine 
and  Globe  -  - 

Aniline 

Works 


HELLER 
MERZ, 

PROPRIETORS, 

55  Maiden  Lane, 
New  York. 


P.O.  Box  3508. 


Rose  Bengal,         Phloxine, 
Erythrosine,  Eosine, 

Fuchsine,  Violet, 

of  Superior  Qaality. 


John  M.  Sharpless  &  Co. 

MANUFACTURERS  OF 

EXTRACTS-DYEWOODS 

CUT   A.Niy   BOLTED 


IMPORTERS  OF 


Cutch,  indigo,  Chemicals,  &c. 

Office:  20  &  22  N.  Front  St.,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 


R.  HOLLIDAY'S  SONS, 

128  MILK  ST..  BOSTON.  MASS.  45  N.  FRONT  ST.,  PHILADELPHIA. 

PRINCIPAL  OFFICE:   7  PLATT  ST.,  NEW  YORK. 

MANUFACTURERS  OF  ALL 


PATENTED  OF  ACID  MAGENTA. 


WORKS-Brooklyn,  N.  Y. :  Huddersfield  and  Wakefield.  England. 

SCHOELLKOPF, 

HARTFORD  & 

MACLACAN,  l ,d 

3  Cedar  St.,  Z^'t^^s)^  I03  Milk  St., 

NEW  YORK.  ^^yff\^  BOSTON. 

42  N.  Water  St.,  PHILADELPHIA. 

SOLE  AGENTS  FOR 

SCHOELLKOPF  ANILINE  AND  CHEMICAL  CO. 

BUFFALO,    N.    Y. 


TEXTILE  GOLOI^I^T. 

fi  J^onlhly  JouFnal 


DEVOTED  TO 


PRACTICAL  DYEING,  BLEACHING, 
PRINTING  AND  FINISHING, 

DYES,  DYESTUFFS,  AND  CHEMICALS  AS 
APPLIED  TO  DYEING, 

Textile  Machinery,  Carding,  Spinning,  Weaving, 

DESIGNING  AND  IMPROVED  PROCESSES  IN  TEXTILE 
MANUFACTURING. 

ESTABLISHED,  JANUARY,  1879. 
Published  on  the  15th  of  each  month,  at 

506  ARCH  STREET, 

PHILADELPHIA,  U.  S.  A. 


